Myanmar Military Releases Nearly 1,000 Rohingya Prisoners Amid International Pressure

By: Camp Correspondent

Yangon, Myanmar – February 16, 2025

The Myanmar Military Council has released 936 Rohingya prisoners from Insein Prison in Yangon early this morning at 6:00 AM, according to the Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM). The mass release comes just three days after an Argentine court issued arrest warrants for Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and 24 other officials over their involvement in the 2017 Rohingya genocide in Rakhine State.

PPNM confirmed that the freed individuals had been serving sentences across various prisons in Myanmar. According to Ko Thaik Tun Oo, a senior member of PPNM, the group of released prisoners includes 67 children, 267 women, and 602 men—most of whom were arrested after the military coup in 2021 on charges related to illegal border crossing and other immigration violations.

The released detainees were transported from Insein Prison in six buses, then transferred onto boats at Yangon Port, and finally sent to Sittwe in Rakhine State. On February 15, immigration officials visited Insein Prison and issued documents to the detainees, though it remains unclear what legal status these documents confer or if the released individuals will eventually be granted any rights or citizenship.

Many analysts believe the release is a political maneuver by the military to deflect international criticism following the Argentine court’s decision. Political analyst U Than Soe Naing argued, “After the international court issued an arrest warrant against Min Aung Hlaing, the military is now trying to show that they are fair to the Rohingya. But their crimes cannot be erased by releasing a few prisoners.”

Human rights groups have also raised concerns that many of the released Rohingya men could be at risk of forced military conscription in Rakhine State, where the military is engaged in ongoing conflict. Ro Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, warned, “The military has a history of forcing Rohingya youth to serve as porters and soldiers. Now, with rising tensions in Rakhine, we worry they will force these people into the army.”

Despite the release, approximately 1,950 Rohingya remain imprisoned in Myanmar under similar charges. Poor prison conditions have led to several deaths, with four Rohingya men dying in 2024 due to a lack of medical care, according to PPNM.

The international community has taken notice of these developments, yet rights groups continue to call for comprehensive justice, legal recognition, and enhanced protection for the Rohingya people. With mounting legal and diplomatic pressure on Myanmar’s military, the future of both the newly released and still-detained individuals remains highly uncertain.

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