Myanmar frees over 6,000 prisoners to mark Independence Day  

The amnesty includes 5,864 local prisoners and 180 foreigners who will be deported, according to state-run MRTV television.

Some inmates also had their sentences reduced, but the majority remain in detention.

The release began on Saturday, with buses seen taking prisoners from Insein Prison in Yangon as families and friends waited outside, hoping to reunite with their loved ones.

Major General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the military, said about 600 people jailed under Section 505(A) of Myanmar’s penal code were freed. This law is often used against those who speak out against the military.

Among those released was Khet Aung, a former chief minister of Kachin State, who had been jailed on corruption charges, local reports indicate. Many of the freed foreigners were Thais arrested for gambling and Indonesians caught fishing in Myanmar’s waters.

However, high-profile detainees like Aung San Suu Kyi were not included. The 79-year-old has been in military custody since the army took power in February 2021. She is serving a 27-year sentence on charges widely seen as politically motivated.

Since the military coup, over 28,000 people have been arrested for political reasons, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). The group says at least 21,499 remain in detention, and more than 6,100 civilians have been killed.

Amnesty is a common practice during major holidays in Myanmar. However, the terms state that released prisoners could be sent back to jail if they break the law again.

The military marked the Independence Day anniversary with a flag-raising ceremony in the capital, Naypyitaw. Myanmar gained independence from Britain on January 4, 1948.

However, the Junta took charge after a military coup on 1 February 2021. The army, known as the Tatmadaw, removed the democratically elected government led by the National League for Democracy (NLD).