Political prisoners not among 1,600 freed in Myanmar

Families of detained Myanmar protesters had their hopes dashed yesterday after political prisoners were not included in some 1,600 people released by the junta to mark the Buddhist new year. State television announced that 1,619 prisoners, including 42 foreigners, had been "pardoned" and will be released to mark the new year -- an annual tradition that last year saw 23,000 prisoners freed. A prisoner released from Yangon's Insein prison told AFP that "political cases and protesters were not among those released", with authorities only freeing criminals. Crowds in front of the prison slowly left yesterday afternoon.