Myanmar grants amnesty to 9,535 prisoners

Myanmar grants amnesty to 9,535 prisoners

U Win Myint. (File Photo: IANS)

Yangon, April 17 (IANS) The Myanmar government on Wednesday granted unconditional amnesty to 9,535 prisoners on the first day of the traditional New Year, according to an order of the President's Office.

The amnesty was extended on the occasion of Myanmar's traditional new year and on humanitarian ground. Authorities were continuing to examine remaining prisoners "who should be pardoned", President Win Myint said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

The government also granted unconditional amnesty to 16 foreign prisoners and deported them in view of relations between respective countries and Myanmar, Xinhua news agency reported.

On previous New Year's day, the government had released 8,490 domestic and 51 foreign prisoners.

--IANS

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