Statement on Granting Amnesty: MNHRC issued Statement No. 1/2023

Myanmar National Human Rights Commission issued a Statement No. (1/2023) on Saturday.

It stated that in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) Independence Day that occurs on 4 January 2023, on humanitarian and compassionate grounds as well as on the goodwill of the government, the Chairman of the State Administration Council issued Order No. 1/2023, and a total of 7012 prisoners serving sentences in respective prisons, jails and camps, under any existing law, have been pardoned.

The Chairman also issued Order No. 2/2023, and prisoners from their respective prisons, jails and camps, under any existing law, reducing one-sixth of their sentences, except for those convicted of murders and rapes or jailed for charges under the Explosives Act, the Unlawful Association Act, the 1878 Arms Act Section 19 (f), the 1949 Arms (Emergency Penalty held) Act (Temporary), the 1951 Arms (Temporary Amendment) Act, the 1924 Shan State Arms Order, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, the Natural Disaster Management Law, the Counter-Terrorism Law and the Anti-Corruption Law before 4 January 2023.

These humanitarian actions of the Chairman are appropriate steps in the right direction. Those who have been granted pardon will surely be delighted to be reunited with their respective family members.

The Commission is confident that those who have been granted pardon and remitting prison sentences, appreciating the goodwill of the government, will peacefully take part in whatever way they can in building national unity and a democratic State.