Myanmar's president grants 452 prisoners amnesty
NAYPYIDAW. November 15. KAZINFORM Hundreds of prisoners in Myanmar have been granted their freedom, according to the state-run newspaper, just days before President Barack Obama is scheduled to become the first sitting U.S. head of state to visit the fledgling democracy, according to CNN.
Myanmar's President Thein Sein bestowed amnesty Thursday on 452 prisoners, both Myanmar citizens and foreigners, with plans to extradite the foreigners, The New Light of Myanmar reported.
The paper said Sein mandated the releases, in accord with the nation's constitution and criminal code, "on humanitarian grounds, for turning them into citizens who do their bits in nation-building tasks, realizing sympathy and good will of the state and for prolonging friendship with neighboring countries."
Under Sein, the Myanmar government has released hundreds of political prisoners in the past year, part of a series of reforms that has followed decades of repressive military rule. Western governments have responded to the efforts by starting to ease sanctions put in place to pressure the military regime in the country formerly known as Burma.
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