Myanmar junta to free 5,864 prisoners under amnesty

Myanmar's military government will release 5,864 prisoners, including 180 foreigners, under an amnesty marking the Southeast Asian nation's independence day, state media said on Saturday (Jan 4).

Myanmar has been in turmoil since early 2021, when the military overthrew an elected civilian government and violently suppressed pro-democracy protests, sparking a nationwide armed rebellion.

The junta has said it will hold elections this year, but the plan has been widely condemned by opposition groups as a sham.

Among those still imprisoned by the junta is the country's former leader, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

The 79-year-old is serving a 27-year sentence tied to 14 criminal charges ranging from incitement and election fraud to corruption. She denies all the charges, according to her lawyers.