Nay Pyi Taw: Myanmar's new military-led State Administration Council on Friday announced the remittances of more than 23,000 prisoners, both local and foreigners, as protests against the February 1 coup continued for a seventh consecutive day.
The move comes on the country's 74th Union Day, which marks the historical Panglong Conference held in Shan state, during which the Panglong Agreement was signed on February 12, 1947.
Myanmar regained independence on January 4, 1948.
The state pardon order reduced the death penalty to life imprisonment with no possibility of release, life imprisonment and with no possibility of release to 40 years, excluding those who have been pardoned from the death penalty to life imprisonment in the previous amnesty orders.
Terms for prisoners who have been sentenced to life imprisonment in the previous amnesty orders will be reduced to 50 years, the punishment of more than 40 years of imprisonment will be reduced to 40 years while 40 years and under are cut one-fourth, the Council said.
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The moves aim to turn the prisoners into decent citizens, to please the public and to create the humanitarian and compassionate grounds while establishing a new democratic state with peace, development and disciplines, it added.
Min Aung Hlaing said the remittances were part of an effort to build a "democratic country with disciplines".
According to a CNN report, mass prisoner releases are common on national holidays in Myanmar.
But this is the first such amnesty under the current rule of the military under Min Aung Hlaing, which seized power in a coup on February 1, ousting former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The military detained Suu Kyi, former President U Win Myint and other senior members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
Besides the coup, which was staged over the disputed results of the November 8, 2020, parliamentary elections, the military also declared a year-long state of emergency and handed over the state power to the Commander-in-Chief.
Despite a ban on gatherings in Myanmar, protests continued on Friday against the coup in major cities, including Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay and Yangon.
Meanwhile, the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) have announced that they will take action against the police officer who fired live ammunition during protests against the military of Myanmar on Tuesday, which seriously injured a 19-year-old protester.
According to Myanmar Times, the committee, which was elected by the populace during the 2020 general elections, has issued a statement strongly condemning the security forces' violent crackdown on the protesters, likening the act to that of a crime.
In the statement, the CRPH affirmed that action will be taken against the police officer following the country's laws.
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19-year-old Ma Myat Thet Khine was critically wounded after being shot in the head by a police officer who had resorted to using live ammunition during widescale protests against the military coup in Myanmar.
Meanwhile, the injured demonstrator's elder sister has pledged to keep protesting until the 'military dictatorship' is removed from the country, reported NHK World
Khine turned 20 the day after the shooting. Doctors said a bullet penetrated her head and a decision on an operation will be made soon.
(with agencies inputs)
