Myanmar: Military junta frees over 3000 prisoners to mark Buddhist New Year
July 16, 2025
  • Read Ecopy
  • Circulation
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • South America
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • International
  • Opinion
  • Op Sindoor
  • More
    • Analysis
    • Sports
    • Defence
    • RSS in News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Special Report
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • G20
    • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
    • Vocal4Local
    • Web Stories
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Law
    • Health
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
MAGAZINE
  • ‌
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North America
    • South America
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • International
  • Opinion
  • Op Sindoor
  • More
    • Analysis
    • Sports
    • Defence
    • RSS in News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Special Report
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • G20
    • Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
    • Vocal4Local
    • Web Stories
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Law
    • Health
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
Organiser
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Operation Sindoor
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Culture
  • Defence
  • International Edition
  • RSS in News
  • Magazine
  • Read Ecopy
Home World Asia South East Asia

Myanmar: Military junta frees over 3000 prisoners to mark Buddhist New Year

by WEB DESK
Apr 18, 2023, 12:30 pm IST
in South East Asia, World, Special Report, Asia
FacebookTwitterWhatsAppTelegramEmail

To mark the Buddhist New Year or Thingyan, the Myanmar military junta released more than 3000 prisoners on Monday, according to a statement by the military government.

The military-led Government jailed thousands of opponents and pro-democracy activists since it seized power in 2021 and brutally put down protests, drawing global condemnation. Shortly after the military takeover, the military-led government released around 23,000 prisoners.

However, the number of released prisoners in 2022 and this year are significantly low. Human rights organisations and several world leaders have repeatedly called on the junta to release all political prisoners. In previous amnesties, the junta freed political prisoners, but only a few tens of the thousands behind bars, while some have been re-arrested.

At least 17,460 people remain in detention and 3,240 have been killed by the junta, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an activist group.

The amnesty is a “celebration of Myanmar’s New Year to bring joy for the people and address humanitarian concerns,” Lieutenant General Aung Lin Dwe, a state secretary of the junta, recently said.

Despite the coup, New Year celebrations had remained a joyous affair with people celebrating with playful water fights. This year, however, many streets are deserted in boycott following an airstrike on a village that reportedly killed more than 170 people. The prisoner amnesty, a common initiative in Myanmar on certain dates.

If the freed prisoners are found violating rules again then they will have to serve the remainder of their sentence with an additional penalty, the statement said.

The junta released 3,113 prisoners, including 98 foreigners, according to the statement. However, it didn’t specify if jailed journalists or anti-junta protestors were part of it. It has been reported that the Myanmar military only specified that among the foreigners to be released are five Sri Lankan citizens, without giving the rest of nationalities.

The military coup of Feb. 1, 2021 plunged Myanmar into a deep political, social and economic crisis and has opened a spiral of violence with new civilian militias that have worsened the guerrilla war the country has experienced for decades.

The United Nations said in March that more than 3,000 civilians have been killed, 1.3 million have had to flee their homes and 16,000 have become political prisoners since the coup. This includes the de facto leader of the ousted government Aung San Suu Kyi, ending a decade of democratic transition.

Topics: military juntaMyanmarUnited NationsThingyanNew Year
Share1TweetSendShareSend
✮ Subscribe Organiser YouTube Channel. ✮
✮ Join Organiser's WhatsApp channel for Nationalist views beyond the news. ✮
Previous News

United States: California Police arrested 17 people over Gurudwara shootings, seized machine guns, AK 47

Next News

Uttarakhand: Hindu woman abducted by Mohd Farman recovered from Punjab; activists call it a case of ‘Love Jihad’

Related News

Illegal migrants enter Mizoram from Myanmar

Mizoram: As clashes between rival rebel groups escalate in Myanmar, over 4000 illegal migrants enter the state

Kaladan Project to be operational by 2027, says union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal

Kaladan project to boost regional connectivity: India-Myanmar corridor to link Northeast with global sea routes by 2027

Indian army soldiers practicing Yoga

Indian Army Embraces Yoga: Boosting fitness of soldiers, reducing injuries & stress

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal

MEA refutes allegation made by Bangladesh government that “Indian media delegitimises transitional leadership”

Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, the Permanent Representative of India at the United Nations

Pakistan’s disinformation campaign on Indus Waters Treaty, other issues demolished by India at UN meeting

Strategic shift: India counters ‘Landlocked’ jibe with Northeast-Myanmar high speed corridor

Load More

Comments

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Organiser. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.

Latest News

Tamil women plucking tea leaves in Southern India, Kerala (Representative image, Istock)

PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: Everything you should know about the Rs 24,000 crore rural upliftment plan

BSF nabs 26 Bangladeshi inflitrators

Meghalaya: BSF captures 26 Bangladeshi infiltrators on international border; 4 touts helping them also arrested

Representative Image

UPI Revolution in Bharat: 34 key milestones in digital payment journey & global expansion

Engine GE 404 In 20 and Tejas MK 1

Make in India Soars: GE-404 engine arrival sets Tejas Mk1A on fast track

Officials demolish the illegal Sana 7 building linked to Waqf scam in Jamalpur

Waqf Property Scam in Ahmedabad: Illegal Sana 7 Building of Salimkhan Jummakhan Pathan demolished

Police attach properties of Pakistan based terrorists

J&K: Police attach properties of Pakistan-based terror handler Manzoor Ahmad Chopan and others in Budgam

Villagers of Thangeda

Andhra Pradesh: Christian mob storms Thangeda village after Hindus reject pastor’s conversion attempt

Dalai Lama returns to Ladakh, slams China for religious repression: “No freedom to teach Buddhism”

Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Thiruparankundra, Madurai.

Tamil Nadu: Lakhs of devotees gather to witness Murugan’s Kumbabhishekam after 16 years at Thiruparankundram

Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) in Kalady.

Kerala: SFI blocks drug crackdown, targets VC; Sree Sankaracharya University seeks police help to enforce discipline

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Cookie Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation
  • Delivery and Shipping

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies

  • Home
  • Search Organiser
  • Bharat
    • Assam
    • Bihar
    • Chhattisgarh
    • Jharkhand
    • Maharashtra
    • View All States
  • World
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • North America
    • South America
    • Europe
    • Australia
    • Global Commons
  • Editorial
  • Operation Sindoor
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Defence
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Business
  • RSS in News
  • Entertainment
  • More ..
    • Sci & Tech
    • Vocal4Local
    • Special Report
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Law
    • Economy
    • Obituary
    • Podcast
  • Subscribe Magazine
  • Read Ecopy
  • Advertise
  • Circulation
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Policies & Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Refund and Cancellation
    • Terms of Use

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies