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| Myanmar releases political prisoners and one New Zealander | Myanmar releases political prisoners and one New Zealander |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Myanmar is releasing more than 100 prisoners, including some jailed for political offences, say officials. | |
| The move comes just over a week before the new parliament convenes for the first time after last year's landslide election victory by the opposition pro-democracy NLD party. | |
| Among those being released is Philip Blackwood, a New Zealander serving a two-year term for insulting Buddhism. | Among those being released is Philip Blackwood, a New Zealander serving a two-year term for insulting Buddhism. |
| Blackwood was jailed in March for using an image of Buddha to promote his bar. | Blackwood was jailed in March for using an image of Buddha to promote his bar. |
| It was not immediately clear if the two Burmese men jailed with him were also being released. | It was not immediately clear if the two Burmese men jailed with him were also being released. |
| An organisation which campaigns for the release of political detainees said 52 of the people being pardoned were political prisoners. | An organisation which campaigns for the release of political detainees said 52 of the people being pardoned were political prisoners. |
| Sentences for nearly 80 prisoners on death row have also been commuted to life in prison. | Sentences for nearly 80 prisoners on death row have also been commuted to life in prison. |
| Presidential spokesman Zaw Htay said on Facebook that a total of 102 prisoners were being released. | Presidential spokesman Zaw Htay said on Facebook that a total of 102 prisoners were being released. |
| One official said 21 of them were being released from the notorious Insein prison, which has long been used for political detainees, in Yangon, also known as Rangoon. | One official said 21 of them were being released from the notorious Insein prison, which has long been used for political detainees, in Yangon, also known as Rangoon. |
| Its most famous inmate was Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader whose party won the historic elections in November, ending decades of military or military-backed rule. | Its most famous inmate was Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader whose party won the historic elections in November, ending decades of military or military-backed rule. |
| Myanmar's former military government had been accused of wrongfully imprisoning about 2,000 political opponents, dissidents and journalists over the years. | Myanmar's former military government had been accused of wrongfully imprisoning about 2,000 political opponents, dissidents and journalists over the years. |
| But since 2010, as it began edging towards democracy, it has freed hundreds of detainees. | But since 2010, as it began edging towards democracy, it has freed hundreds of detainees. |