Hundreds of prisoners freed in Myanmar

Hundreds of prisoners, who had been arrested for protesting against last month’s military coup in Myanmar, were freed on Wednesday from a prison in Yangon, witnesses and domestic media said.

Several buses full of prisoners drove out of Insein prison in the morning, said the witnesses, who included lawyers for some inmates.

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There was no immediate word from authorities on how many were freed. A spokesman for the military did not answer calls.

“All the released are the ones arrested due to the protests, as well as night arrests or those who were out to buy something,” said a member of a legal advisory group who said he saw the buses leaving.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group says at least 2,000 people have been arrested in the military crackdown on the protests against the February 1 coup.

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