BANGKOK – Joyful reunions unfolded outside Myanmar’s Insein Prison on Thursday as families eagerly welcomed loved ones granted release as part of a sweeping amnesty by the nation’s military authorities. This gesture comes in anticipation of the elections scheduled for next month.

By 11:30 a.m., at least eight buses transporting the freed individuals had arrived at the prison gates in Yangon. Awaiting them were relatives and friends who had gathered from the early hours, filled with anticipation and hope.

According to state broadcaster MRTV, the military-led government announced the pardon of over 3,000 individuals detained for opposing military rule and the dismissal of charges against an additional 5,500. The amnesty aims to ensure these citizens can participate in the upcoming elections on December 28.

An official from Insein Prison, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to disclose details, confirmed that the prisoner releases would begin Thursday. However, specifics regarding the number of released prisoners or their identities were not provided. Historically, such releases have unfolded over several days.

Noticeably absent from the list of those released is former leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi, who led the National League for Democracy before being deposed in the 2021 military coup, remains under tight restrictions with little communication to the outside world.

Among those who regained freedom are Kyi Toe, a member of the NLD’s central information committee, and Zaw Lin Htut, a freelance journalist also known as Phoe Thar. Both individuals had been detained since 2021.

“I am determined to work with Aunty until I am 90 years old,” Kyi Toe told journalists as he arrived outside the prison gate. Aunty is a common expression of respect for Suu Kyi among senior NLD members.

He added that other senior NLD members still remain in prison.

Critics have asserted Myanmar’s election will be neither free nor fair because there is no free media and most of the leaders of the dissolved NLD have been arrested.

MRTV said the National Defense and Security council, a constitutional administrative government body controlled by the military, granted amnesties covering 3,085 prisoners convicted under the part of the penal code known as the incitement law, which makes it a crime to spread comments that create public unrest or fear, or spread false news. It has been widely used to arrest critics of the government or military and is punishable by up to three years in prison.

Conditional release was granted to 724 prisoners, who would have to serve the rest of their old sentence if they commit a new offense, and 5,580 people who are either being prosecuted or are in hiding, will receive amnesty and have their incitement cases closed.

Some 22,708 political detainees, including Suu Kyi, were in detention as of Wednesday, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent organization that keeps detailed tallies of arrests.

The 80-year-old Suu Kyi is serving a 27-year sentence after being convicted in what supporters have called politically tinged prosecutions.

The army takeover in 2021 was met with massive nonviolent resistance, which has since become a widespread armed struggle.