November 16, 2022
The military council has reportedly required visitors to Loikaw prison not only to bring their National Registration Card and household list, but also to allow them to visit the prison only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
“In the past, we could visit the prison without any documents. We just sent [food and necessities] through the entrance gate with the name of the recipient. That’s all. But we can’t do that now. Once we reach the gate, they check the stuff somewhere outside the prison. Then they check our NRC number and our household list. We also have to bring a copy of the household list. Only family members are allowed to enter the prison,” said a Loikaw resident.
The visitor added that the person entering the prison must have the same household list as the person inside it and can only send the items specified by the prison authorities.
Previously, prison visits were allowed every week from Monday to Friday, but currently they are allowed only three days a week, from 9 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm.
Access to prisons had been restricted following the explosions at Insein prison in Yangon on October 19 and was not allowed again until November 1.
Despite the resumption of visits to the prisons, the military council has continued to restrict access, which is a cause for concern for those who cannot visit the prisons in person.
“Some people who live far from the prisons can only visit it once every two months. They also have difficulty bringing food and other things they need,” said a woman from Loikaw.
It is reported that after the prison visits were allowed again, many family members came, but many of them had to turn back because they did not have a household list or NRC.
Family members of prisoners said that prisoners rely on food from outside because the food in prison is not decent and it is even more difficult to get food under the current restrictions for those whose families live far away.
Since the military coup on February 1, 2021, the military council in Karenni State has arrested a total of 280 people, the Progressive Karenni People Force (PKPF) said in a statement on November 1, 2022.
Sent by Maw Mi Myar (The Kantarawaddy Times)