|
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Myanmar's military government on Wednesday freed nearly 3,000 prison inmates, including about 20 political prisoners, according to media reports and a human rights group.
The state-controlled New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that 2,831 prisoners "whose moral behavior and spiritual values have improved and changed for the better" were released ahead of the 59th anniversary of Myanmar's independence from Britain.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, gained independence from Britain on Jan. 4, 1948, after more than 120 years of colonial rule. The country's military junta took power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement. In 1990, it refused to hand over power to a democratically-elected government.
|
|