A lot of people have been waiting in front of Insein prison in Yangon Region since July 21 following the government’s order that ongoing proceedings would be withdrawn and prisoners released. 

The State Administration Council issued the order (No 147/2021) on July 20.

“As I found the announcement yesterday, I have been waiting here since morning. We heard nothing till evening. But we have to be waiting,” said a man waiting in front of Insein prison.

Regarding the pending release of prisoners, a prison official said: “We want them to wait at their homes. With such crowds, they may be infected with the Covid-19 virus. Prisoners can be released only after courts have sent us case withdrawals. Maybe today or tomorrow.”

The SAC released this order according to Section 419 of the Constitution to conduct effective measures against Covid-19 giving the reason that longer detentions make the courts unable to hear the defendants in line with the Covid-19 health rules and that some citizens facing prosecutions should be granted leniency. 

On 1 February 2021 and before that date, all criminal cases prosecuted at respective courts with the following offences shall be dropped and the defendants be released, the order says.

Those offences are (a) Penal Code Section 379, 380 and 379/ Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 380/ Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure; (b) Any cases except for Sections 42 and 43 of the Forest Law; (c) Any cases under the Gambling Law; (d) Any cases under the Excise Law; (e) Any cases under the Habitual Offenders Bond Act; (f) Any cases under Section 16 of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law; (g) Any cases under Section 19 (a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law (regarding the drugs and psychotropic substances, under Section 26 of that law, the weight limit for the seizure is 10 grams and below or 3 grams, 200 grams and below for 100 grams, below 10 kg of speciosa and below 5 kg of dried speciosa or speciosa powder); (h) Any cases under Section 19 (e) of the Arms Act; (i) Any cases under the Suppression of Prostitution Act; (j) Any cases under the Police Act; (k) Any cases under the Television and Radio Law.