On 2 March 2026, coinciding with Peasants’ Day, the Myanmar military junta announced a mass amnesty, claiming the release of over 10,000 prisoners. The regime stated it had detained and prosecuted 7,373 individuals under Sections 50(j) and 52(a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law, and closed 9,532 cases involving 12,487 defendants under these same provisions. The amnesty included several notable political detainees, including National League for Democracy (NLD) Central Executive Committee Member and Naypyidaw Mayor Myo Aung, Government Office Minister Min Thu, and Yangon Region Immigration Minister Moe Moe Su Kyi. Furthermore, prominent student union leaders, 88 Generation activists (such as Zaw Wan Maung), and at least four journalists previously jailed on terrorism charges were released. However, political prisoner advocacy groups have heavily disputed these figures, asserting that the junta artificially inflated the release numbers for political leverage. Crucially, the junta excluded key democratic leaders, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi (serving a 27-year sentence) and President Win Myint (serving an 8-year sentence), who remain held incommunicado. Thousands of political detainees continue to be arbitrarily incarcerated despite the junta’s claims.
