Myanmar to release 5,600 prisoners held for anti-junta protests

It follows the junta's announcement Monday that it might free greater than 5,600 individuals arrested for protesting towards army rule since a coup in February. The launched prisoners would wish to signal a doc pledging not to commit any acts of violence towards the nation, the junta added.

The Southeast Asian nation sank into chaos following the coup, with every day protests persevering with for months and insurgencies flaring in border areas. A bloody crackdown led to the hundreds of reported detentions, in addition to widespread experiences of torture.

Also on Monday, junta chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing blasted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which mentioned final week it might exclude him from an upcoming assembly of the regional bloc. Instead, a "non-political" determine from Myanmar could be invited to the ASEAN summit subsequent week, the group mentioned.

In a press release, the present ASEAN chair, Brunei, mentioned there had been "insufficient progress" on a roadmap to restore peace in Myanmar, including the group would "give space to Myanmar to restore its internal affairs and return to normalcy."

In response, Min Aung Hlaing blamed Myanmar's opposition National Unity Government and varied ethnic armed teams for the continued violence, and mentioned ASEAN ought to have focused them as an alternative of the junta.

"More violence happened due to the provocations of terrorist groups," Min Aung Hlaing mentioned in a speech Monday. "No one cares about their violence and is only demanding we solve the issue. ASEAN should work on that."

The feedback, made on state tv, are Min Aung Hlaing's first remarks since ASEAN's announcement.

"The junta will continue to refuse being transparent about the individual persons released, and who remains detained," AAPP mentioned in a press release. "The released 'demonstrators' were practicing the fundamental right to free assembly against an illegitimate coup attempt."

Capt. Nyi Thuta, a former army officer now preventing the regime, additionally claimed the junta solely launched the prisoners as a result of Min Aung Hlaing "was kicked out of the ASEAN summit."

"Releasing the prisoners is just to ease international pressure, not out of good intention for the people or the nation," he mentioned, urging the junta to "immediately hand over power to the people."

UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews welcomed the release of some prisoners, however mentioned it was "outrageous" that they had been detained within the first place.

"The junta is releasing political prisoners in Myanmar not because of a change of heart, but because of pressure," he mentioned in a press release posted to Twitter.

Min Aung Hlaing declared himself Prime Minister of a newly shaped caretaker authorities in August, promising to maintain new elections inside two years and work with a particular envoy named by ASEAN.