Myanmar's ruling junta on Wednesday freed hundreds of people arrested in its crackdown on protests against the overthrow of the elected government, while businesses in Yangon were shut and streets deserted in a strike called by anti-coup activists.

Several buses full of prisoners drove out of Yangon's Insein Prison in the morning, lawyers and other witnesses said. There was no word from authorities on how many prisoners were freed. A spokesman for the military did not answer calls.