YANGON: The government of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, decided to set a number of 452 prisoners free on Thursday morning in a good will gesture ahead of the landmark visit of US President Barack Obama to the country, state officials said.
Obama is expected to visit the country between the 17th and 20th of November during his Southeast Asian tour, being the first US President to visit the formerly military ruled state.
A state-run newspaper said Myanmar's President Thein Sein decided the release of the prisoners in line with the nation's constitution and criminal code, "on humanitarian grounds, for turning them into citizens who do their bits in nation-building tasks, realizing sympathy and good will of the state and for prolonging friendship with neighboring countries."
Last year, the government has also released hundreds of political prisoners in a series of reforms that has followed decades of repressive military rule.
The country has been under the military rule since 1962 suppressing almost all dissent and wielded absolute power in the face of international condemnation and sanctions.
In 2010, the first general election was held being an important step in the transition from military rule to a civilian democracy.
Nowadays, the Rakhine state of Myanamar is seeing tensions between the Rohingya Muslims and the Buddhists, claiming 180 lives since June and forcing more than 110,000 people into makeshift camps. (QNA)
