Myanmar pardons over 4,000 prisoners including former president

Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing has pardoned 4,335 prisoners, including former president Win Myint, in one of his first official acts since becoming civilian president this month.

The pardon order also includes a reduction in the jail sentence of Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's detained former leader.

The amnesty was announced on April 17, 2026, and includes the commutation of all death sentences to life imprisonment.

Additionally, life sentences have been reduced to 40 years, and other prison terms have been cut by one-sixth.

Win Myint, detained since the 2021 military coup, was granted a pardon and a reduction of his remaining sentences under specified conditions.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who is serving a 27-year sentence on charges described by her allies as politically motivated, had her sentence reduced by one-sixth.

It remains unclear whether she will be allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest.

The pardons come shortly after Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as Myanmar's civilian president, following his leadership of the military junta since the 2021 coup.

The move is notable amid ongoing political repression and is seen as part of a broader amnesty traditionally granted during Myanmar's public holidays.

Among those to be released are 179 foreign nationals who will be deported.

The amnesty also includes a blanket order to commute all death sentences to life imprisonment, a significant shift given that executions resumed after the 2021 coup.

Min Aung Hlaing's inauguration address emphasized a return to democracy and a better future for Myanmar, while acknowledging ongoing challenges.

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