Bangkok, May 3 (EFE) coup d’état of February 2021.
In a statement released today, the military regime explained that the amnesty is in honor of Kason’s Full Moon Day, a Buddhist anniversary.
In addition, the amnesty coincides with the visit to Myanmar by Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who called for “a process of political transition” during a meeting on Tuesday in Naypyidaw with the head of the junta, Min Aung Hlaing, the more level between Beijing and the military since the coup.
It is unknown at the moment if there are high-profile prisoners among those amnestied.
Thousands arrested since the coup
Min Aung Hlaing led a coup on February 1, 2021 that overthrew the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Su Kyi, who has since been detained and has been sentenced to 33 years in prison for various crimes.
The coup unleashed a massive civil protest movement and the formation of civilian militias opposed to the military, such as the forces for the defense of the people (PDF), which have gained ground against the generals, exacerbating the armed conflict that the country has suffered for years. decades between the Army and various ethnic guerrillas.
The PDF is the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG), which claims to be the legitimate authority of Myanmar and is partly made up of former MPs from the National League for Democracy (NLD), Suu Kyi’s formation.
The armed forces have responded to the opposition with violence, leaving at least 3,452 dead since the coup and detaining more than 20,000 dissidents, of whom 17,897 remain in custody, including Suu Kyi, according to the Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners (AAPP). ), a Burmese NGO.
The last amnesty took place on April 17, on the occasion of the Buddhist New Year, when the military junta announced the pardon of more than 3,000 prisoners, including around a hundred foreigners and some political prisoners, including former Finance Minister Kyaw Win.