Around 100 prisoners were reportedly beaten by junta-affiliated groups in connection with a confrontation at Pyapon Prison in Pyapon Township, Ayeyarwady Region, and 18 prisoners were detained in confinement, according to sources close to the prison.
The incident began when a prison staff sergeant beat a prisoner who is on trial under Section 54 of the Counter-Terrorism Law on 31 March without any provocation. Political prisoners protested this, which led to a clash with the prison staff.
After the staff of Pyapon prison falsely reported to the junta that the prisoners were planning a prison break, there were violent crackdowns in the prison from the same evening. On the evening of 2 April, more than 80 prisoners, including 20 political prisoners, were brutally beaten and interrogated, said Ko Thaik Tun Oo, an official from the Political Prisoners Network (PPN).
“The political prisoners have suffered serious injuries. Three are in a critical condition. Another 80 were taken out and beaten by the members of staff from the Prisons Department and police. So in total, about 100 prisoners were beaten and interrogated until yesterday evening (2 April),” said Ko Thaik Tun Oo.
In relation to the incident, 18 of the 100 prisoners, including political and other offenders, were sentenced to six months in prison and put in solitary confinement on 1 April under Section 224 of the Jail Manual, he said.
“The Prisons Department claimed it was a prison break. When we published factual data, the military council admitted this, but they still detained 18 prisoners who they considered to be leaders in the incident,” Ko Thaik Tun Oo said.
As a result of the incident at the prison, where the detainees were harshly assaulted and violently interrogated for inflicting injuries on the prison staff, the seriously injured political prisoners need medical attention. The PPN has called for action to be taken against the violation of basic prisoners’ rights in prison.
Across Myanmar, political prisoners arrested by the junta for anti-regime activities often die in prisons due to inadequate health care, poor medical attention, and untimely transfer to hospitals outside the prison facilities, according to sources close to the prisons.
As of 2 April after the coup, 20,302 of the 26,475 political activists arrested by junta forces remained in detention, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
Sent by KIC.