Aung San Suu Kyi announces plan to release political prisoners

Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has announced that her government plans to release all political prisoners as quickly as possible, making the declaration her first act in her newly created job as state counsellor.

The statement, posted on the Facebook page of the office of President Htin Kyaw, declared the release a priority, suggesting it might begin by next week, which is Myanmar's traditional New Year festival and has in the past been the occasion for prisoner releases.