Myanmar: Authorities release four recently detained foreign nationals in Yangon as of Nov. 18

Event

The Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) has released nearly 6,000 prisoners, including four previously detained foreign nationals, as of Nov. 18 during its National Day observance. The foreigners include a former Australian economic advisor, former British envoy, Japanese journalist, and US citizen. The regime has warned that the released prisoners will serve their remaining sentences if they are believed to commit additional alleged crimes.

Context

Despite the release of several hundred political prisoners and the four foreigners in Myanmar, the threat of arbitrary detention continues, particularly against those perceived to impact the country's political status quo. Following the February 2021 coup, authorities incarcerated the former Australian economic advisor who served former state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi; the former state counselor remains imprisoned. Officials arrested the Japanese journalist in July 2022 after the recording of a pro-democracy demonstration.

The American national was imprisoned in July 2022 though the circumstances of the arrest remain unclear. The former British diplomat previously served as the UK ambassador to Myanmar from 2002 to 2006 and as director of an international NGO; officials likely detained the former envoy sometime in mid-August. The latest action does not necessarily indicate a change in the regime's tactics in conducting and enforcing politically-motivated detentions.