Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing has granted amnesty to more than 4,000 prisoners and reduced the sentences of many others, in his first major formal move since taking office earlier this month.
State media reported that 4,335 prisoners were covered by the amnesty. Among them was former President Win Myint, who has been detained since the 2021 military takeover. Authorities said he was pardoned under certain conditions and that the remainder of his sentence was reduced.
The move also affected detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Her lawyer said her prison term had been reduced by one-sixth. The 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate is serving a 27-year sentence, which her supporters have long described as politically motivated. It remains unclear whether she will be allowed to spend the rest of her sentence under house arrest.
According to official announcements, those previously on death row have had their sentences changed to life imprisonment, while life sentences have been reduced to 40 years. Other prisoners also received partial sentence reductions. Authorities said 179 foreign nationals included in the amnesty would be deported to their home countries.
Mass amnesties are not unusual in Myanmar, especially around Independence Day in January and the traditional New Year in April. However, the latest decision has drawn particular attention because it comes just one week after Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president.
In his first address after assuming office, he acknowledged that Myanmar still faces many challenges but claimed the country was returning to democracy and moving toward a better future.
Outside Yangon’s Insein Prison, families gathered in hope that their relatives would be among those released. Yet rights groups remain cautious. Analysts note that in past amnesties, only a small share of those freed were political detainees.
Human rights organizations say more than 30,000 people have been arrested on political grounds since the 2021 coup. Suu Kyi has not been seen publicly since her trial, and her current location remains undisclosed. Rights groups continue to call not for sentence reductions, but for her full and unconditional release.