Former President Win Myint, imprisoned since the 2021 military coup, has also been pardoned during Myanmar's ongoing New Year celebrations. Releasing prisoners is seen as a "good deed" during major Buddhist holidays.
The announcement comes after junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president following a widely criticized election that critics say was aimed solely at cementing the military's grip on power. According to the UN, at least 170 civilians have been killed in connection with the election.
80-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been detained since the junta overthrew her government in the 2021 coup. Her 27-year sentence is now being reduced by 4.5 years.
