Mizzima

Mizzima’s freelance reporter Nyein Nyein Aye (aka Mabel) was released under the Myanmar junta prisoner amnesty marking Buddhist traditional Kason Full Moon Day, 3 May, according to her family members.

The junta granted amnesty to 2,153 political prisoners on 3 May, according to a statement by the junta.

“The phone rang a few minutes ago. I was very happy to hear her [Nyein’s] voice. She was released. She said that she would come to Yangon in her friend's car. Today is her birthday, so it's really memorable," a family member of Nyein told Mizzima.

According to a family member, Mabel was experiencing heatstroke and stomach pain, and had undergone toe surgery.

She was detained on January 15, 2022, and under Section 505(a), she received a sentence of three years in Insein Prison. She was one of those individuals who were abruptly moved to Thayarwaddy Prison in September.

She was released from prison after serving more than two years and three months in prison for her journalism work with the stipulation that if she commits the same crime again, she will have to carry out the remaining sentence under Section 401 of the Criminal Code. 

A photojournalist from Myanmar Pressphoto Agency, Kaung Set Lin, and a reporter from Mizzima Media, Kyaw Swar Tun, may also have been released by the Military Council as part of the 2,153 prisoners release, said to have been sentences in accordance with Section 505(a) of the Penal Code.