A former British ambassador and an Australian economist have been freed from prison in Myanmar and were due to leave for Thailand, a diplomatic source has said.
The pair, Vicky Bowman and Sean Turnell, a former adviser to deposed Myanmar leader Aung san Suu Kyi were headed to Bangkok on an evening flight, the source said.
Myanmar's military rulers granted amnesty to Mr Turnell and Ms Bowman along with almost 6,000 other prisoners to mark a national holiday, state media reported.
Ms Bowman's her Burmese artist husband Ko Htein Lin were among those also to be released, along with US citizen Kyaw Htay Oo and Japanese filmmaker Toru Kubota.
The four foreigners were given amnesty "for the relationship with other countries and also for humanitarian purposes", and had been asked to leave the country, state media said.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military's coup in February last year, when it arrested civilian leaders including Nobel laureate Ms Suu Kyi, ending a decade of tentative democracy.
The coup sparked nationwide protests that were often violently shut down, leading to thousands of arrests and fuelling an armed resistance movement.
Mr Turnell and Ms Bowman were among those held at Insein Prison.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong welcomed reports regarding Mr Turnell, who found guilty of violating a state secrets law and sentenced in September to three years in jail.
"Professor Turnell continues to be our first priority," Ms Wong said on Twitter.
Earlier this month, she said Australia was considering imposing sanctions on Myanmar.
Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government said it was heartened by the amnesty, but said the world should not be duped by the junta.
"These types of hostage tactics by the junta should not fool the international community into believing that the military has changed its colours," said Htin Linn Aung, an NUG minister and spokesperson.
Ms Bowman, Britain's ambassador from 2002-2006 and now head of a group that promotes ethical business in Myanmar, had been jailed for immigration violations.
Mr Kubota was last month sentenced to 10 years in prison for violating sedition and communications laws.
Japan's chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the government had been informed Mr Kubota was healthy and would return home as early as tomorrow.
Altogether 5,774 prisoners were granted amnesty. Others to be released included 11 celebrities plus Kyaw Tint Swe, a former minister and a close aide to Ms Suu Kyi, according to state media.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP),which has been documenting the military's crackdown, said the junta had freed the foreigners to ease political pressure.
"Yet again, political prisoners are being used as bargaining chips," it said.
Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said people should not be jailed for expressing political views.
"One hopes this release will not be a one-off event but rather the start of a process by the junta to release all political prisoners," he said.
