26 November, 2025-NAYPYIDAW, MYANMAR — The National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) of Myanmar announced a sweeping series of orders late Wednesday night, November 26, 2025, granting amnesty, sentence reductions, and the dismissal of thousands of pending cases for individuals charged under Section 505-A of the Penal Code.

The move, described in the official orders as being made "to ensure that all eligible voters do not lose their right to vote and are able to vote freely and fairly in the upcoming multi-party democratic General Election," affects a total of 8,665 individuals.

Section 505-A of the Penal Code addresses and penalizes actions characterized as incitement. The statute is frequently applied to the prosecution of individuals for spreading "false news" or causing public fear, and it carries a maximum sentence of up to three years.

Breakdown of the Orders

The three orders, issued under specific sections of the law, detail the scope of the clemency:

    Order No. 10/2025 (Full Amnesty): A total of 724 prisoners (both male and female) currently serving sentences for convictions under Section 505-A in prisons and labour camps were granted full amnesty for the remainder of their sentences. This pardon comes with a strong stipulation: they must serve their remaining sentence in addition to the penalty for any future offense they may commit.

    Order No. 11/2025 (Sentence Commutation): Another 2,361 convicted prisoners (both male and female) under Section 505-A received a commutation of sentence (leniency) for the remainder of their terms, in accordance with Section 401, sub-section (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

    Order No. 12/2025 (Case Dismissal): This order affects the largest group, with charges officially dropped against 5,580 individuals whose cases were currently under trial. This includes those prosecuted under Section 505-A, as well as those charged under Section 512 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for absconding in connection with the offense. These defendants have been released from their cases.

The total number of prisoners released or granted leniency is 3,085, and 5,580 individuals facing trial have had their cases dropped.

The NDSC emphasized that the overarching intent of the orders is to reinstate the right to vote for those who had been penalized under this section, clearing the legal obstacles to their participation in the scheduled General Election.

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