YANGON, Myanmar

Myanmar began releasing tens of thousands of inmates Friday after an amnesty was announced, the first such release under the new military junta. 

The National Administrative Council (NAC), chaired by the coup leader and country’s military chief Sen. Gen Min Aung Hlaing, announced that the amnesty of 23,314 prisoners was extended on humanitarian grounds as a gesture to celebrate the country’s 71st Union Day.

Those released include 55 foreigners. It was unclear, however, how many political prisoners would be released under the amnesty.

It added that life imprisonment will be reduced to 40-year jail terms, jail terms above 40 years will be reduced to 40 years and 40-year jail terms and shorter sentences will be cut by a quarter.

It was the first amnesty by the military junta that overthrew the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a bloodless coup on Feb.1.

The NAC however arrested hundreds of government officials, dissidents and public servants who went on a nonviolent anti-coup strike since the takeover.

Hundreds of residents of Yangon’s North Okkalapa township gathered near the police station late Thursday, demanding the release of a poet actively involved in the anti-coup protest who was dragged away by police./aa