ISTANBUL

To mark a Buddhist holiday, the military junta has pardoned over 2,100 prisoners in Myanmar, local media said.

The junta announced Wednesday that it has pardoned a total of 2,135 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the Buddhist Vesak holiday, Myanmar Now news website reported.

“The act was intended to bring peace of mind and was carried out in consideration of humanitarian grounds,” said Lt. Gen Aung Lin Dwe, secretary of the military council.

Junta’s move also came when China’s Foreign minister Qin Gang visited Myanmar on Tuesday, where he met military ruler Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Daw.

The freed prisoners were detained under a penal code, which carries a maximum three-year sentence.

Last month, at least 98 foreigners were among around 3,100 prisoners released by the junta in Myanmar, which has been under military rule since February 2021.

The Myanmar military, locally known as Tatmadaw, launched a coup in February 2021 to uproot the National League for Democracy (NLD) government and install a junta regime.

​​​​​​​The NLD has since been disbanded while at least 3,240 people have been killed by the regime’s forces during the post-coup period.