Myanmar to release 5,000 prisoners held over coup

Key Facts

Thousands of people were arrested following the coup in February Myanmar's government has said it will free more than 5,000 prisoners jailed for protesting against February's coup.
At least 1,178 people were killed and 7,355 arrested, charged or sentenced during a crackdown on dissent that followed Aung San Suu Kyi being ousted from power, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
The general said the prisoners would be released to mark the Buddhist holiday Thadingyut later in October.
Gen Min Aung Hlaing also said he could accept some of Asean's demands - a reference to the association's position that its envoy cannot visit Myanmar to start mediating unless he can meet Ms Suu Kyi, a request the military is still refusing to meet.