Myanmar Junta to Pardon Over 6,000 Prisoners on Independence Day

Myanmar's military junta announced on Sunday that it would release more than 6,000 prisoners as part of an annual amnesty marking the country's independence day. The junta, which seized power in a February 2021 coup, has arrested thousands of protesters and activists since overthrowing the civilian government, plunging the nation into civil war. The amnesty, described as being on 'humanitarian and compassionate grounds,' includes 6,134 Myanmar nationals and 52 foreign prisoners who will be released and deported. Hundreds of families gathered outside Yangon's notorious Insein prison, awaiting the release of loved ones. The move comes as Myanmar commemorates 78 years of independence from British colonial rule. Critics argue that the junta's actions are a thinly veiled attempt to rebrand its authoritarian rule, particularly as it continues to face international condemnation for its crackdown on dissent.