Myanmar junta to pardon 23,000 prisoners in Buddhist New Year amnesty 2 minutes read Bangkok, Apr 17 (EFE).- Myanmar’s military authorities on Saturday said they granted pardons to 23,000 prisoners to mark the Buddhist New Year as protests against the junta, which came to power in a coup in February, continued, local media reported. It is not yet known whether pro-democracy activists and protesters will be among those granted early release. At least 800 prisoners are to be free from the Insein Prison in Yangon, the largest city in the country, and another 2,800 from five prisons in Mandalay, local media outlet Eleven Myanmar reported.