MEXICO CITY (AP) — Nicaragua's government has released 50 political prisoners from jail to house arrest as an agreed-upon deadline to release all such prisoners approaches.

The government says in a statement Thursday that all were held on charges of crimes against security and public peace, terms it uses for those involved in anti-government protests.

The government has made several similar releases in recent months. The opposition Civic Alliance pulled out of talks with the government earlier in May because not all of the prisoners had been released.

The Civic Alliance had said on Wednesday that 233 political prisoners were still jailed. The government had maintained there were only 142 still imprisoned. The government has committed to releasing all political prisoners by June 18.

Nicaragua is celebrating Mother's Day Thursday.