The military junta that has been forcibly ruling Burma since February 2021 has announced the release of former British ambassador Vicky Bowman and her Burmese husband, artist Htein Lin, sentenced to prison for alleged violations of immigration laws, according to what was announced by Burmese state television, picked up by the BBC.

According to British Sky News, the couple has already been released. 

Their release, the military announced, is part of an amnesty granted by the military regime to 6,000 prisoners.

Australian consultant Turnell, Japanese director Toru Kubota and 5,770 other prisoners, including 600 women,

were released with the ex-ambassador

on Burma's National Day.

The military adds that Bowman, Turnell and Kubota will be expelled from the country.

It has not been specified by the military how many people will be granted the amnesty.  

Vicky Bowman was ambassador of the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2006 and was arrested last August on charges of not having declared her residence address, which turns out to be different from that indicated in the register of resident aliens.

She and her husband were therefore sentenced to one year in prison.

As for Sean Turnell, he worked as an economic adviser to former leader Aung San Suu Kyi,

who is in prison where he has to serve heavy sentences after the coup of February 1, 2021. 

Atiwat Silpamethanont/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Bangkok, protests against the imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi - file image

Director Kubota, 26, was arrested along with two of his Burmese collaborators while filming an anti-regime demonstration last July in Yangon and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Since the coup in Burma, 170 journalists have been arrested - UNESCO figures - at least 70 of whom are still in prison.

Getty Images

Burma, Myanmar's New Year water festival (Thingyan) in Yangon