Prisoners who have been granted pardons leave the Insein Prison in Yangon, Myanmar, Aug. 1, 2023.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

Prisoners who have been granted pardons leave the Insein Prison in Yangon, Myanmar, Aug. 1, 2023.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
Myanmar's State Administration Council on Tuesday granted pardons to over 7,000 prisoners and reduced sentences for former State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and former president U Win Myint, according to the council's orders.

Six years of sentences for Suu Kyi and four years of sentences for U Win Myint were also reduced, the council said.

The council also remitted sentences for 7,749 Myanmar prisoners and 125 foreign prisoners, while commuting death sentences for some prisoners to life imprisonment, according to the orders.

In addition, the council remitted the sentences for 22 members of the ethnic armed groups and also dismissed the cases related to 72 individuals who were in connection with ethnic armed groups, it said.

The moves on the Dhammacakka Day, an important Buddhist day that falls on the full moon of second Waso lunar month of the Myanmar calendar, aims to please the public on the humanitarian ground, the council said, adding that the pardons were granted in view of ethnic unity and internal peace as well as in view of relations between the respective countries and Myanmar.

On May 3, Myanmar also pardoned more than 2,000 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the Vesak Day.