Myanmar‘s military government on Thursday released nearly 5,000 prisoners, including some foreigners, while marking their traditional New Year, according to local media reports.
Prisoners’ release began from Insein Prison, located in Yangon, where hundreds of their relatives received them outside the jail, Eleven Myanmar reported.
Earlier, the junta government said that 4,893 prisoners would be released from prisons to participate in the state-building process.
The junta also released 13 foreign nationals from different jails, without sharing the details of their nationality. These foreigners will be deported from the country.
According to human rights groups, the military government arrested thousands of civilians over protests since the February 2021 coup.
It remains unclear whether political prisoners, many of whom were detained for opposing the military, are among those who were released.
The coup, which ousted the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, triggered widespread protests and led to armed resistance.
In January this year, the junta government also released nearly 6,000 prisoners, including 180 foreigners, on the 77th anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain.
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in a statement on New Year said that last month’s devastating earthquake caused huge damage to the country and that the government decided to launch the reconstruction process of affected areas as soon as possible.
The death toll from the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake has risen to 3,725, with another 5,106 injured and 129 still missing as of Wednesday.
The powerful tremors from the March 28 earthquake were felt in neighboring countries, including Thailand, where the State Audit Office building collapsed in Bangkok and 44 people were killed.
The junta leader also reiterated his commitment to restoring the democratic system in the country, ahead of elections set for December.
“I would like to request the people to cooperate with the government to hold the election successfully if they wish to enjoy the multiparty democratic system really. Our government is striving to serve the interests of the State and all citizens,” he said in a statement, published by The Global New Light of Myanmar.