Myanmar’s military rulers have granted amnesty to 3,085 political prisoners convicted under Section 505(A) of the penal code, which criminalises incitement and spreading false news. The amnesty was announced by state-run broadcaster MRTV as part of preparations for the upcoming general election on 28 December, aiming to ensure eligible voters retain their right to participate.
A further 5,580 individuals either facing prosecution or in hiding under the same charge have had their cases dropped and received amnesty. Additionally, 724 prisoners were granted conditional release, with any future offences requiring them to serve both the remainder of their original sentence and any new sentence.
The release of prisoners began on 26 November at Insein Prison in Yangon, though no names or exact numbers were provided by an official who spoke anonymously. Former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains in detention since the 2021 military takeover, was not confirmed to be included in the amnesty.