Myanmar’s military-led government slashed the prison sentences of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi in clemency connected to a religious holiday in the Buddhist-majority country, state media said Tuesday (August 1).
Former President Win Myint was also among over 7,000 prisoners who were granted clemency.
However, Suu Kyi who is 78 still has to serve a total of 27 years out of the 33 she was initially imprisoned for.
The clemency order was granted by head of Myanmar's military council, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing who reduced the sentences in five cases against Suu Kyi in which she was convicted for violating coronavirus restrictions, and illegally importing walkie-talkies and sedition, according to a report on state MRTV.
She was originally sentenced for 19 offenses, which according to her supporters and rights group, were attempts to discredit her and legitimise the 2021 army takeover while preventing her return to politics.
The clemency was announced a day after Myanmar's military extended the state of emergency it imposed when it seized power from Suu Kyi's elected government two and a half years ago.
Several of Suu Kyi's cases are awaiting final appeals.
A total of 7,749 prisoners were pardoned by Min Aung Hlaing and commuted the death sentences of others to commemorate the day the Buddha gave his first sermon, the MRTV report said.
125 foreign prisoners and 22 members of ethnic armed groups were also granted amnesty by the army leader, it added.
The announcement said he dropped cases against 72 people connected to ethnic armed groups.
It wasn't immediately clear if any of the released prisoners included the thousands of political detainees locked up for opposing army rule.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 24,123 people have been arrested in Myanmar since the army takeover. At least 3,857 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says.
(With AP inputs)
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