Burma’s ruling military junta announced it would release more than 1,600 prisoners on Sunday to mark the Buddhist New Year, but did not specify whether they were common criminals or political prisoners.
Posted yesterday at 11:16 p.m.
Some 1,619 prisoners, including 32 of foreign nationality, have been “amnested” and will be released to mark the new year, state television said on Sunday morning.
The Southeast Asian country has been experiencing high tensions since the military ousted the government of Aung San Suu Kyi from power last year, a military coup that sparked massive protests and a wave of intense repression.
No mention was made of the identity of these pardoned prisoners. It is therefore unclear whether the Australian Sean Turnell, former adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi, arrested shortly after the coup, will be on the list of released prisoners.
He is on trial for divulging state secrets, a sentence punishable by 14 years in prison.
Burma traditionally grants amnesty to thousands of prisoners on the occasion of the Buddhist New Year, an event that in previous years gave rise to major celebrations, which did not take place this year while repression still rages.