The release comes on the heels of ASEAN's decision to exclude miltiary chief Min Aung Hlaing from an upcoming summit of the 10-country bloc over his administration's commitment to defusing the bloody crisis. Pictured: A bus arrives on Monday night carrying newly-released prisoners in Myanmar Journalists, celebrities and internet influencers were among those benefiting from the amnesty, but important political prisoners such as Suu Kyi remain in detention. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says at least 9,043 people have been arrested since the takeover, and 7,355 were in detention when the amnesty was announced.
He added that they had been detained 'illegally for exercising their fundamental human rights.'
The United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, welcomed the prisoners' release but said on Twitter that it came 'not because of a change of heart, but because of pressure.' The government now faces a growing insurgency in many parts of the country. Min Aung Hlaing's government is already a pariah to many Western nations, which condemn it not only for overthrowing Suu Kyi's democratically elected government but also for using deadly force to suppress protests against its rule.Ī detailed accounting by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners blames security forces for the killings of almost 1,200 civilians. Min Aung Hlaing tied the timing of the amnesty to the upcoming traditional Thadingyut festival of lights, suggesting that it could help restore peace and stability.īut it was seen by many people as a goodwill gesture meant to offset the unpleasant publicity from being chastised by fellow ASEAN members. Min Aung Hlaing's administration has justified its power grab citing alleged vote rigging in last year's elections, which Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won convincingly Min Aung Hlaing said the release was to mark Thadingyut festival later in October.
There has been chaos in Myanmar since the coup, with more than 1,100 civilians killed in a bloody crackdown on dissent and more than 8,000 arrested, according to a local monitoring group.īefore the release, more than 7,300 were behind bars, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. She has been detained since the military takeover and is being tried on several charges that her supporters say are politically motivated. The government had refused to grant the request of the special envoy, Brunei Second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, to meet with Suu Kyi. The move reflected ASEAN's frustration with the continued stalling of a visit to the country by its special envoy, who was appointed as part of an initiative to find a way out of the violent crisis that has gripped Myanmar since the army overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in February. Junta head Min Aung Hlaing announced the release of 5,636 prisoners after foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) refused to invite him to the October 26-28 summit