STORY: Myanmar pardons over 3,000 prisoners on traditional New Year's Day
SHOOTING TIME: April 17, 2024
DATELINE: April 17, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:56
LOCATION: YANGON, Myanmar 
CATEGORY: LAW

SHOTLIST:
1. various of people waiting for released prisoners outside the Insein Prison
2. various of buses carrying newly released prisoners outside the Insein Prison

STORYLINE:

Myanmar's State Administration Council granted amnesty to over 3,000 prisoners on Wednesday, the first day of the traditional Myanmar New Year.

Among them were 3,303 Myanmar nationals and 36 foreign prisoners, including 13 Indonesian nationals and 15 Sri Lankan nationals, the council said.

The amnesty is to mark Myanmar's traditional New Year's Day, bringing joy to the people and looking forward to positive relations with respective countries, while addressing humanitarian concerns, it said.

In a separate pardon order, the council reduced the sentences by one sixth for some prisoners jailed across the Southeast Asian country.

It's a customary practice for Myanmar to pardon prisoners annually to celebrate its traditional new year.

Last year, over 3,000 prisoners were released on Myanmar's traditional New Year's Day.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yangon, Myanmar.
(XHTV)