Political prisoners ‘not included’ in Myanmar Independence Day amnesty

Sources close to Mandalay’s Obo Prison told DVB that no political prisoners were among the 283 inmates released in an amnesty to mark Myanmar’s 78th Independence Day on Sunday.

Thaik Tun Oo, the Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM) spokesperson, told DVB that he hasn’t found any political prisoners among those released from prisons in Kachin State, Mandalay and Bago regions either, so far.

A source close to Yangon’s Insein Prison told DVB that a total of 850 prisoners there were released. The source added that the only political prisoner freed was Ye Htut, a former minister serving a 10-year sentence at Insein Prison after being convicted of criticizing the military on social media in October 2023.

Sources close to Myeik Prison in Myanmar’s southeastern Myeik Township, Tanintharyi Region, told DVB that no political prisoners were among the 38 inmates freed on Jan. 4.

A former political prisoner at Myeik Prison criticized the regime for not releasing any detained for opposing the 2021 military coup from Myeik Prison. Myeik is located 151 miles (243 km) south of the Tanintharyi Region capital Dawei.