Fifty-two Burmese nationals, jailed by Malaysian immigration authorities in August after entering the country on fake visas, have been freed.

Min Min Win, the labour attaché at the Burmese embassy in Kuala Lumpur, said the 52 migrants, who were each sentenced to one year in prison, were pardoned by the high court in Shah Alam on Tuesday following diplomatic negotiations. They will all be repatriated in coordination with the embassy, he said.

“The high court pardoned the Burmese nationals and so we are now arranging plane tickets for all 52 to return home,” said Min Min Win.

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The 52 were part of an original group of 72 who, along with their three job agents, were detained at Malaysian immigration on 8 July when they arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on fake visas. The migrants were sentenced to one year each in prison on 12 August.

Malaysian authorities in early September pardoned 20 of the migrants – all children and elderly persons – and allowed them to return to Burma after negotiations with the embassy.

A trial for the three job agents is pending.