Thu Apr 17 05:35:19 UTC 2025: ## Myanmar Military Grants Amnesty to Nearly 5,000 Prisoners for New Year

**Yangon, Myanmar –** Myanmar’s military junta released approximately 4,900 prisoners on Thursday, April 17th, 2025, to mark the country’s traditional New Year, Thingyan. The amnesty, granted by junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, included 13 foreign nationals who will be deported. However, the number of political prisoners among the released remains unclear.

The release comes amid ongoing civil war and widespread human rights concerns. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) reported that as of April 11th, over 22,000 political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, were being held. Many are imprisoned on charges of incitement, a broadly applied offense used against government critics.

This year’s Thingyan celebrations were subdued following a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake in late March, which claimed over 3,700 lives and caused widespread destruction. In his New Year’s address, General Hlaing pledged swift reconstruction efforts and reiterated plans for a general election by year’s end, while calling for a political resolution to the ongoing conflict. Despite the amnesty, armed clashes between the military and pro-democracy forces continued throughout the holiday. Relatives anxiously awaited news outside Insein Prison in Yangon, hoping for the release of loved ones. Those released face rearrest if they violate the law again.

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