The singer and activist, Saw Phoe Khwar, who was arrested on the first day of the coup, 1 February 2022, was released from Insein Prison on 20 May.

He was initially charged with violating Section 30 of the Natural Disaster Management Law and Section 505(b) of the Penal Code. He later received a two-year prison sentence.

He was previously released in a mass amnesty of 6,000 prisoners issued by the junta in November 2022, but he was immediately re-arrested and sent back to Insein Prison as the junta said he still needed to be prosecuted for further crimes.

He is now free again. A lawyer said: “We were informed that he was released on 20 May. He is currently with his friends and family and is in good health.”

A member of Saw Phoe Khwar’s family also wrote on social media that the singer had returned home, though his return has not yet been independently verified by Mizzima.

Saw Phoe Kwar is a well-known reggae singer from Yangon who has written songs against the military dictatorship and peace songs as well as being a democracy activist.