Myanmar Military Grants Amnesty to 23,000 for Lunar New Year... "Protest Detainees Seem Excluded"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] The Myanmar military has carried out a large-scale amnesty to mark Thingyan, the biggest festival and traditional New Year. However, it appears that those recently detained for anti-military activities were not included.

According to major foreign media on the 17th, the Myanmar military pardoned 23,184 prisoners. However, it is reported that those arrested while resisting after the military coup on February 1 are unlikely to be included in the amnesty.

On the day, Ko Tun Oo, spokesperson for the government, said, "The majority of the subjects were detained before February 1," adding, "It is unknown whether prisoners related to anti-military activities were included."

Despite the large-scale amnesty, the military is still seeking 832 people related to anti-military activities. Among them, 200 famous figures such as actors and singers who have criticized the military coup were charged with inciting military and police officers to disobey orders to suppress protests. If convicted, they face up to three years in prison. On the same day, the famous film director Christina Kyi and actor Zenn Kyi, a couple, were arrested at Yangon airport while attempting to board a flight to Bangkok.

Meanwhile, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a Myanmar human rights organization, 728 people have died and 3,141 have been detained due to the military and police's violent crackdown on anti-coup protests so far.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.