The military junta in Myanmar announces that nearly 5,000 prisoners will be granted amnesty in connection with the country's New Year celebrations.
The junta claims that the prisoners are being released for "humanitarian reasons". Due to what is described as the state's "benevolence", other prisoners' sentences will be shortened by a sixth, as long as they have not committed serious crimes.
Amnesties are often announced to mark holidays, but high-profile political prisoners, such as the country's imprisoned former leader, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, are not being released.
Human rights groups report that thousands of demonstrators and activists have been arrested since the junta's military coup in 2021.
In Myanmar, the New Year is celebrated with the traditional water festival Thingyan, which symbolizes cleansing and renewal.
