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Reuters

Myanmar began releasing more than 9,000 prisoners on Wednesday, with many drug offenders among the first to walk free, but just two political detainees, after the president declared an amnesty on the first day of the traditional New Year.
President Win Myint said 9,353 prisoners, including 16 foreigners, had been pardoned in a gesture designed “for the peace and pleasure of the people, and taking into consideration humanitarian concerns”.

Authorities were scrutinising who should be pardoned among the rest, he said in a statement on his Facebook page, without elaborating.
Myanmar regularly orders such releases from its overcrowded prisons to mark the holiday.
Dozens of people waited in sweltering heat for hours at the gates of Insein prison, the colonial-era jail on the outskirts of the commercial capital of Yangon, hoping their relatives would be among those pardoned.
Reuters reporters in Myanmar jailed for revealing Rohingya massacre and mass grave win Pulitzer Prizes
Under the setting sun, prisoners began to trickle through the gates as crowds cheered and waved green Eugenia leaves, symbols of good fortune.
Many of those released said they had been convicted on drugs charges, some receiving long sentences for possession of small quantities of banned substances.
“There are too many people who should be released inside the prison,” said 33-year-old Paik Paik, who said she served four years of a seven-year sentence, some of them spent breaking rocks at a labour camp separated from her children, after she was arrested with two methamphetamine pills.

“The punishment does not fit the crime,” she added.
Two Reuters reporters jailed for breaking the Official Secrets Act were not among those being pardoned, a senior official at Insein, where they are being held, told Reuters.
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party came to power in 2016 promising to free political prisoners from jails across the country, but activists say they continue to be imprisoned.
In the past week, a filmmaker accused of defaming the military was denied bail and sent to Insein, while several satirical poets were charged with online defamation for broadcasting a New Year performance critical of the army.
Two political prisoners, of a total of 364, were released on Wednesday, said Aung Myo Kyaw of a human rights group, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Maran Gam and Zau La, members of an ethnic armed group, were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000 on drug trafficking charges. Activists said the military invited them to a meeting and arrested them when they arrived.
Among the political prisoners behind bars or facing trial are people accused of criticising the army and ethnic minority activists jailed after protesting against war between government forces and minority insurgents.
It was not immediately clear if there would be further releases later. A government spokesman did not answer telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment, while a spokesman for the ruling party said he did not know.


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Myanmar

‘For the peace and pleasure of the people’: Myanmar pardons more than 9,000 prisoners in New Year amnesty

Two men celebrate with their mother after being released from Insein prison. Photo: AP Photo

Prisoners are transported out of Insein prison to mark MyanmarÕs new year amnesty announced by Myanmar's President Win Myint in Yangon, Myanmar April 17, 2019. REUTERS/Ann Wang

An elderly woman, center, is hugged by her colleague after being released from Insein prison Wednesday, April 17, 2019, in Yangon, Myanmar. More than 9,500 prisoners were ordered released Wednesday in Myanmar under a presidential amnesty, but they did not include two Pulitzer Prize-winning Reuters reporters. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)

Prisoners reunion with family outside of Insein prison to mark MyanmarÕs new year amnesty announced by Myanmar's President Win Myint in Yangon, Myanmar April 17, 2019. REUTERS/Ann Wang

‘Masters of our destiny’: Myanmar’s 25,000 United Wa State Army rebels in show of force on 30 year anniversary of ceasefire

United Wa State Army (UWSA) soldiers participate in a military parade, to commemorate 30 years of a ceasefire signed with the Myanmar military in the Wa State. Photo: AFP

epa07511413 Young female military signals of UWSA sing as they march during the ceremony held to mark the 30th anniversary of Wa State in Panghsang, also called Pang Kham of autonomous Wa region, north-eastern Myanmar, 17 April 2019. United Wa State Army (UWSA) celebrated the 30th anniversary of Wa State founding in Panghsang, the administrative capital of the Wa independent region. Wa declared itself as an independent State on 17 April 1989. Although the government of Myanmar does not recognize the sovereignty of Wa State, Myanmar military has adopted a ceasefire with the state since 09 May 1989. Wa State has been notorious for drug smuggling in the Golden Triangle of the last 30 years, although it declared its region a drug-free zone in 2005. EPA-EFE/LYNN BO BO

United Wa State Army (UWSA) leader Bao Youxiang (L) and China's Foreign Ministry's special envoy for Asian Affairs Sun Guoxiang watch a military parade, to commemorate 30 years of a ceasefire signed with the Myanmar military in the Wa State, in Panghsang on April 17, 2019. (Photo by Ye Aung THU / AFP)

epa07511412 Young female soldiers of UWSA prepare before a parade held to mark the 30th anniversary of Wa State in Panghsang, also called Pang Kham of autonomous Wa region, north-eastern Myanmar, 17 April 2019. United Wa State Army (UWSA) celebrated the 30th anniversary of Wa State founding in Panghsang, the administrative capital of the Wa independent region. Wa declared itself as an independent State on 17 April 1989. Although the government of Myanmar does not recognize the sovereignty of Wa State, Myanmar military has adopted a ceasefire with the state since 09 May 1989. Wa State has been notorious for drug smuggling in the Golden Triangle of the last 30 years, although it declared its region a drug-free zone in 2005. EPA-EFE/LYNN BO BO

epa07511425 UWSA soldiers prepare for a parade held to mark the 30th anniversary of Wa State in Panghsang, also called Pang Kham of autonomous Wa region, north-eastern Myanmar, 17 April 2019. United Wa State Army (UWSA) celebrated the 30th anniversary of Wa State founding in Panghsang, the administrative capital of the Wa independent region. Wa declared itself as an independent State on 17 April 1989. Although the government of Myanmar does not recognize the sovereignty of Wa State, Myanmar military has adopted a ceasefire with the state since 09 May 1989. Wa State has been notorious for drug smuggling in the Golden Triangle of the last 30 years, although it declared its region a drug-free zone in 2005. EPA-EFE/LYNN BO BO

epa07511411 Young female soldiers of UWSA practice the formation for a parade held to mark the 30th anniversary of Wa State in Panghsang, also called Pang Kham of autonomous Wa region, north-eastern Myanmar, 17 April 2019. United Wa State Army (UWSA) celebrated the 30th anniversary of Wa State founding in Panghsang, the administrative capital of the Wa independent region. Wa declared itself as an independent State on 17 April 1989. Although the government of Myanmar does not recognize the sovereignty of Wa State, Myanmar military has adopted a ceasefire with the state since 09 May 1989. Wa State has been notorious for drug smuggling in the Golden Triangle of the last 30 years, although it declared its region a drug-free zone in 2005. EPA-EFE/LYNN BO BO

Reuters reporters in Myanmar jailed for revealing Rohingya massacre and mass grave win Pulitzer Prizes

Detained Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are escorted by police as they leave after a court hearing in Yangon. PHoto: Reuters

Families of jailed Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo talk to the media after attending a hearing at Myanmar's Supreme Court in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, March 26, 2019. REUTERS/Ann Wang

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Asia

Southeast Asia

President Win Myint said 9,353 prisoners, including 16 foreigners, had been pardoned


President Win Myint said 9,353 prisoners, including 16 foreigners, had been pardoned.


Aung San Suu Kyi

Rohingya Muslims

Myanmar's democratic transition

Human rights

‘For the peace and pleasure of the people’: Myanmar pardons more than 9,000 prisoners in New Year amnesty

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}President Win Myint said 9,353 prisoners, including 16 foreigners, had been pardoned

President Win Myint said 9,353 prisoners, including 16 foreigners, had been pardoned