20 political prisoners among 8,500 freed in Myanmar

YANGON - Myanmar's military junta has freed more than 8,500 prisoners, including 20 opposition members arrested in a crackdown on anti-junta protests in September, official media and the opposition said on Tuesday. The releases, which began on November 16 and ended on Monday, were aimed at "forging the national solidarity in the country and cooperation with international communities, including the United Nations," the New Light of Myanmar said.

Among those freed were 10 members of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), and 10 members of other opposition groups, NLD spokesman U Nyan Win told Reuters.

"They were arrested during the recent protests," he said of the demonstrations in August and September against shock fuel price rises and 45 years of army rule.

Thirty-three Thais were also granted amnesties on November 30, the New Light of Myanmar said.

National police chief Khin Yi told a news conference on Monday that 2,927 people, including 596 monks, had been arrested when soldiers crushed the biggest anti-junta protests in nearly 20 years.

Eighty people, including 21 monks, remained in detention pending further investigations, he said. Unspecified "legal action" would be taken against those found guilty.

At least 15 people died in the junta's crackdown, drawing unprecedented international criticism and pressure to embark upon meaningful democratic reform, including from key ally and trading partner China.

Despite the chorus of outside disapproval, the generals have made clear they do not intend to do anything outside the framework of their seven-step democracy roadmap, which the West says will simply solidify the army's iron grip on power.