Myanmar's military government pardoned 6,134 prisoners and shortened sentences for others to mark the country's 78th independence anniversary. Officials said 52 foreign nationals will be deported after release, but authorities have not published a full list. It remains unclear whether political detainees were included; independent monitors say more than 22,000 political prisoners remain in custody. The amnesty comes as the junta proceeds with a controversial monthlong election process critics say aims to legitimize its rule.
Myanmar Pardons More Than 6,100 Prisoners on Independence Day Amid Questions Over Political Detainees
Members of an honor guard leave after a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of its Independence Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Myanmar's ruling military announced an amnesty that freed more than 6,100 inmates and reduced sentences for others to mark the country's 78th independence anniversary from Britain. State-run MRTV reported that Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing issued pardons for 6,134 prisoners, and a separate government notice said 52 foreign nationals would be released and deported.
Myanmar's government officials salute at their national flag during a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of its Independence Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Who Was Released—and Who Wasn't
Officials did not immediately clarify whether the freed prisoners included the large number of political detainees jailed for opposing military rule. Independent monitors say the vast majority of political prisoners remain behind bars. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), an independent group that tracks arrests and casualties related to Myanmar's political conflict, reported more than 22,000 political detainees in custody as of last week.
Myanmar Prime Minister Nyo Saw arrives to attend a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of its Independence Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The amnesty excludes people convicted of serious violent crimes such as murder and rape, and those jailed under various security laws. The government also warned that anyone released who reoffends must serve the remainder of their original sentence in addition to any new penalties.
A commander of an honor guard shouts during a ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of its Independence Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Context and Reactions
Critics say the pardon comes as the military advances a monthlong, three-stage election process they view as an effort to lend a veneer of legitimacy to the junta. The 2021 military takeover prompted massive nonviolent protests that later evolved into a wider armed insurgency.
Outside Yangon’s notorious Insein Prison, known for holding political detainees, relatives gathered early in the morning hoping for news of releases. There was no indication the amnesty included former state leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was deposed in the 2021 coup and remains detained and largely out of contact. Suu Kyi, 80, is serving a 27-year sentence after convictions her supporters and many international observers have described as politically motivated.
Prison Release Process
Periodic prisoner releases are common in Myanmar around holidays and national occasions. Authorities said the process began on Sunday and could take several days to complete; no comprehensive list of released inmates has been published.
Key fact: The amnesty freed 6,134 people, and authorities said 52 foreign nationals would be deported after release, but it remains unclear how many, if any, political detainees were included.
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