The government freed 6,966 prisoners today in an amnesty that included intelligence officials purged in 2004 along with former spymaster Khin Nyunt, according to reports.
Nyunt and others were previously released but this round could include the last batch of high-profile prisoners connected to the fallen intelligence community, according to Frontier Myanmar.
Meanwhile, the Association for Political Prisoners, or AAPP, says it is still trying to determine how many of the released are classified as political detainees.
As of July 8, there were 138 political prisoners sitting in jails around the country, according to AAPP’s latest data.
Amnesties have been going on for years, according to the UK-based Burma campaign.
But they have received attention more recently in light of Myanmar’s highly publicized reformist government.
Many reports were quick to point out that the release was timed right before a Buddhist holiday on Friday and a few months before nationwide elections on November 8.
Citing the Ministry of Information, the Associated Press reported that 210 of the prisoners were foreigners. Out of those, 155 were Chinese nationals convicted for illegal logging this month, the AP report said.
Photo of Insein prison in 2014 / AFP
