Myanmar gives amnesty to some 6,300 prisoners

Yangon: Myanmar state radio and television announced today that the country's president has granted amnesty to more than 6,300 prisoners in what appears to be the biggest step so far in a series of reform actions undertakenby the newly elected government.The broadcasts said the releases would begin tomorrow, a religious holiday, but did not specify how many political detainees were among the 6,359 receiving an amnesty from President Thein Sein.[caption id="attachment_104693" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="Activists hold a prayer vigil at Shwedagon pagoda in Yangon. Several dozen people were believed killed and thousands jailed. AP"][/caption]The release of at least some of the country's estimated 2,000 political prisoners has been hotly anticipated as a crucial step in liberalising measures implemented by the military-backed but elected government that took power in March.Most prominent political prisoners are held in facilities far from the country's main city of Yangon, a policy implemented under the previous military regime apparently to limit their ability to communicate through visiting familymembers and lawyers.The broadcast said a list of the prisoners had been prepared, but did not read it out.Myanmar's tightly controlled state newspapers had published an appeal Tuesday morning for a release of political prisoners, a sign that the move had official blessing.The appeal in the three state newspapers, which closely reflect government positions, was an open letter from the government-appointed National Human Rights Commission calling on Thein Sein to grant an amnesty as a gesture of magnanimity.AP