Myanmar Junta Frees Prisoners Amid Condemned Election

Myanmar's military government released hundreds of prisoners on Sunday. The move came as part of an annual amnesty marking the country's Independence Day. The release follows a major political event. Just one week earlier, the junta began an election process that has been widely criticized. International observers and opposition groups call the election a "sham." They say the vote, run entirely by the military, is not free or fair. The junta often grants pardons around national holidays. Critics argue such prisoner releases are used to distract from political actions and improve the government's image.