Myanmar commutes deaths sentences and jail terms, but unclear if political prisoners affected

YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar's president is commuting the death sentences of some convicts and slashing the jail terms of others, but it is unclear whether any political prisoners will be freed through his order.

State television and radio said the order signed Thursday by President Thein Sein commutes death sentences to life imprisonment, reduces sentences of more than 40 years to 40 years, and cuts sentences of 40 years or less by one-fourth on humanitarian grounds and to mark the 66th anniversary of independence on Saturday.

It was not immediately clear how many prisoners will benefit. Thein Sein on Monday granted a pardon to people convicted of or charged with a variety of political offenses.