A total of 1,519 prisoners, including 1,508 citizen prisoners and 11 foreign prisoners serving sentences in various prisons, detention centres, and camps, were pardoned yesterday.

Yesterday, a total of 1,508 prisoners serving sentences in various prisons, detention centres, and camps across the regions and states were granted amnesty. Under Section 401 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, their remaining sentences were remitted, subject to the condition that if they commit a subsequent offence, they will be required to serve the remaining portion of their current sentence in addition to the punishment for the new offence. Furthermore, 11 foreign prisoners were granted amnesty for their remaining sentences and deported under Section 204 (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

During the release of the prisoners, a group comprising the minister for Security and Border Affairs of the respective region or state, the Region/State Police Force Commanders, the director of the Prison Department, the Prison officer-in-charge, relevant district and township administrators, heads of the District and Township Police Force, and officials from the Special Branch (SB), the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI), and officials of Immigration and Population delivered words of counsel and presented release certificates.

The released individuals were provided with full travel and meal allowances from departmental funds. Additionally, those released from camps received labour bonuses calculated based on their days of work at prescribed rates, which were fully disbursed from the manufacturing team fund generated by prisoner labour.

Of the 1,519 released individuals, the breakdown by state and region is as follow: 49 from Kachin State, five from Kayah State, 70 from Kayin State, 19 from Sagaing Region, 59 from Taninthayi Region, 110 from Bago Region, 41 from Magway Region, 257 from Mandalay Region, 91 from Mon State, 44 from Rakhine State, 486 from Yangon Region, 142 from Shan State, and 146 from Ayeyawady Region.

The released individuals and their family members, who had gathered in front of the prisons to greet them, shared joyful and emotional reunions. For those travelling long distances, the respective state and regional governments arranged motor vehicles to transport the released persons to railway stations, jetties, and bus terminals.

Similarly, 11 foreign prisoners were granted amnesty and deported with the aim of maintaining friendly international relations and emphasizing humanitarianism. Their remaining sentences were remitted, subject to the condition that if they commit a subsequent offence, they will be required to serve the remaining portion of their current sentence in addition to the punishment for the new offence.

MNA/TH

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