Myanmar will release about 25,000 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the traditional New Year, the president’s office said on Friday.

President Win Myint said that 24,896 people jailed across the country, including 87 foreigners, would be released unconditionally “to bring delight to the citizens of Myanmar and to take into consideration human concerns”.

The President gave no details of the crimes in which the prisoners were convicted.

Crowds gathered outside the Insein prison in the commercial capital of Yangon, hoping to greet family members, despite banning the synagogues to prevent the spread of coronavirus, an outbreak.

There have been 85 cases of the virus and four deaths in Myanmar.

It was not immediately clear whether the release, which takes place annually, would include anyone found guilty in relation to acts of dissent against the government. A spokesman for the prison department could not be reached for comment.

When Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi took power in 2016, more than half a century after military rule, his first task was to release hundreds of political prisoners.

The Prison Department has previously stated that there are no political prisoners in Myanmar, but rights groups say dozens of people are in prison due to their political activity.

Aung Myo Kyaw of the Assistant Association for Political Prisoners said, “The government does not actually accept political prisoners, but we were asked for a few lists and we gave more than 70 lists.”

“We still don’t know if any of them have been released.”

According to Athan, a human rights non-profit group, more than 331 people were prosecuted in freedom of expression matters in 2019.

Members of a satirical poetry troupe behind bars and students imprisoned last month in protest against a government-imposed internet shutdown.

Although the military maintains broad powers, activists say the civilian government has failed to use a unanimous parliamentary majority, expressing disagreement to dissolve oppressive laws, tightening restrictions on civil society.