Myanmar releases 500 prisoners

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NEW YORK, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- More than 500 prisoners in Myanmar have been released in advance of the country's president visiting the United States later this month, officials said.

Myanmar President Thein Sein will visit the United Nations in New York later this month. The nation's opposition leader and political activist, Aung Sun Suu Kyi, was expected in the United States Monday for a three-week tour.

Human rights groups had reserved judgment on the prisoner amnesties, saying they wanted to inspect the list of 514 names to see how many were political prisoners, The Wall Street Journal reported. Officials say hundreds of political prisoners are still being detained in the country, which underwent a change in leadership when Sein's at least nominally civilian administration took over. The nation had been run by military dictators.

Human rights groups said Sein is releasing the prisoners in an effort to convince international leaders to ease economic sanctions and increase international trade in Myanmar.