Junta Amnesty on Independence Day: 147 Prisoners from Buthidaung and Sittwe Prisons Are Released

As part of the junta's amnesty to honor the 76th Independence Day, 147 inmates from Buthidaung and Sittwe Prisons in Rakhine State have been freed.

According to a Buthidaung resident who spoke to Narinjara News, 49 prisoners were released from Buthidaung Prison at 9 AM on January 4.

"At 9 AM, 49 prisoners were released. Among them, there were both Muslims and Rakhine. There were no female prisoners," reported the Buthidaung resident to Narinjara News.

Likewise, a resident of Sittwe informed Narinjara News that approximately 98 prisoners were released from Sittwe Prison around 1:00 PM today.

Eighty male inmates and eighteen female inmates have been released. The majority of them are accused of crimes, the resident stated.

In honor of the 76th Independence Day, the Military Council declared early on January 4 that 9,652 convicts and 114 foreign prisoners would be granted amnesty.