Myanmar cuts sentences for some prisoners

Myanmar

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YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar’s government has announced it is reducing the sentences of some prisoners on humanitarian grounds.

State television and radio said today that President Thein Sein signed a clemency order to mark the country’s 64th anniversary of independence.

They said some death sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment, while some prisoners serving between 20 and 30 years will have their terms cut to 20 years. Those serving less than 20 years are to have their sentences cut by one-fourth.

It was not immediately clear how many prisoners would be affected, or whether they would include political detainees. Several prominent student activists serving 65-year prison terms were not subject to the clemency order.