The military council in Myanmar announced on Saturday that it has granted amnesty to approximately 6,000 prisoners in celebration of Independence Day.

This includes more than 5,800 detainees, around 180 of whom are foreigners, with 600 individuals convicted under Section 505 of the Penal Code. The council also reduced the sentences of 144 individuals from life imprisonment to 15 years.

The amnesty was granted for humanitarian reasons, with the majority of foreign detainees being Thai nationals arrested in casinos along the border.

The military reaffirmed its commitment to organizing democratic elections and called for a peaceful political settlement with opposing ethnic groups.