Former President Win Myint among prisoners freed in Myanmar

Myanmar’s former President Win Myint was released from prison Friday as part of a broad amnesty declared by newly inaugurated President Min Aung Hlaing to mark Myanmar’s traditional New Year, according to state-run media.

The pardon extends to more than 4,500 prisoners, though it remains unclear how many political detainees imprisoned for opposing military rule will benefit from this clemency. Notably absent from the release is 80-year-old former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who continues to serve her prison sentence.

Win Myint, a longtime Suu Kyi loyalist who was elected president in 2018, was freed from a prison in Taungoo township in Bago region. He had served alongside Suu Kyi, who led the government as state counsellor since the military-drafted constitution prevented her from holding the presidency directly.

Both Win Myint and Suu Kyi were arrested on February 1, 2021, when the military seized power in a coup. Win Myint subsequently received combined prison sentences totaling 12 years for various offenses, which were later reduced to eight years in 2023.

Outside Insein Prison in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, emotional scenes unfolded as buses carrying freed prisoners were greeted by relatives and friends who had gathered since early morning. Among those released was filmmaker and journalist Shin Daewe, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment under a counterterrorism law just months earlier in January 2024.

The amnesty comes just one week after Min Aung Hlaing was sworn into office following an election widely criticized by international observers as neither free nor fair, designed to solidify the military’s grip on power. In his inauguration speech, Min Aung Hlaing indicated his government would implement amnesties to promote “social reconciliation, justice and peace” and support national development.

According to state media, the amnesty includes 4,335 Myanmar prisoners and nearly 180 foreigners who will be released and deported. The terms of release stipulate that if freed prisoners reoffend, they must serve the remainder of their original sentences plus any new sentence.

A separate decree commutes death sentences to life imprisonment, reduces life sentences to 40 years, and cuts prison terms of less than 40 years by one-sixth. Under this measure, Suu Kyi’s 27-year sentence would be reduced by approximately 4.5 years, leaving her with 22.5 years remaining.

A senior military officer from Naypyitaw, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that Suu Kyi will be transferred to house arrest as part of the clemency. She has been serving her sentence at an undisclosed location in Naypyitaw and was reportedly moved to house arrest at least once in April 2024.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged the amnesty while emphasizing “the need for meaningful efforts to ensure the swift release of all those arbitrarily detained,” including Suu Kyi. Through his spokesperson, Guterres stressed that resolving Myanmar’s crisis requires a political solution based on an immediate cessation of violence and genuine commitment to inclusive dialogue.

Prisoner releases on holidays and significant occasions are common practice in Myanmar. However, human rights advocates remain skeptical of the military’s intentions. Burma Campaign UK stated that such slow, staged releases of political prisoners are designed merely to garner positive publicity without implementing genuine reforms.

“These people should not have been arrested in the first place,” the group said. “The Burmese military could stop arresting activists and could repeal all repressive laws. They haven’t done that.”

Since the 2021 military takeover, nearly 8,000 civilians have been killed and approximately 22,170 political detainees, including Suu Kyi, remain imprisoned, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization. Total casualties in the ongoing conflict are believed to be significantly higher.

Many political prisoners have been detained under incitement charges, a law frequently used to silence government critics and punishable by up to three years imprisonment. Others face more serious charges under counterterrorism laws that carry potential death penalties and have been systematically used to target political opponents, armed resistance fighters, journalists, and other dissenters.