Joy and scepticism as Myanmar frees hundreds held since coup

Relatives greet their loved ones who were released from the Insein prison in Yangon on June 30, 2021, following a surge in arrests of protesters since the February military coup. - AFP

YANGON (Reuters): Myanmar freed more than 2, 000 detainees on Wednesday (June 30), among them journalists and others who the ruling military said had been held on incitement charges for taking part in protests, local media reported.

The release was described by some activists as a ploy by the ruling military to divert attention from an ongoing security crackdown.