Bangkok (Thailand), 17 Apr. (LaPresse/AP) – Myanmar’s former president, Win Myint, has been released as part of a wide-ranging amnesty granted by the newly elected president, Min Aung Hlaing, to mark the traditional New Year. This has been reported by the country’s state media. The pardon covered over 4,500 prisoners, but it is currently unclear how many of these are people imprisoned for opposing the military regime. There are no indications that Aung San Suu Kyi, 80, may be released. Win Myint is a long-standing loyal supporter of Suu Kyi and was elected president in 2018. He was arrested when the military seized power in a coup on 1 February 2021. The amnesty comes a week after Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in following an election which, according to critics, was orchestrated to maintain the military’s iron grip on power.
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