Junta Tortures and Kills Political Prisoner in Thaton Prison; Body Cremated Without Family Consent

July 21, 2025

HURFOM: In a deeply disturbing violation of human rights, Ko Pyae Sone Aung, a political prisoner and spokesperson for the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Bilin Township, Mon State, died after being tortured inside Thaton Prison. Rather than returning his body to his family, prison authorities cremated his remains on the evening of July 19, 2025—just hours after his death—raising serious concerns of a cover-up.

According to reports verified by local sources and resistance groups, Ko Pyae Sone Aung, age 44, suffered severe internal injuries following a violent beating by prison officials. The assault reportedly occurred after a confrontation with authorities in early July. He and four other political prisoners were beaten with batons and repeatedly kicked in the stomach. One detainee vomited blood and had to be hospitalized before being returned to prison the following day. Ko Pyae Sone Aung later collapsed with intense abdominal pain and died around 1:00 PM on July 19.

Despite the clear evidence of mistreatment, prison officials claimed Ko Pyae Sone Aung died of chronic illnesses, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. However, the rushed cremation—carried out the same evening without notifying his family—has been widely condemned as an attempt to destroy evidence of torture.

“If this was a natural death, there would have been no reason to cremate the body without involving the family. This is clearly an attempt to erase the truth,” said a member of the Mon State resistance.

Ko Pyae Sone Aung was arrested on January 1, 2022, by junta forces and charged under Sections 52(a) and 505(a) of the Penal Code. He was sentenced to six years in prison by the Bilin Special Court. According to the Burma Political Prisoners Network (PPNM), he had been suffering from serious health issues but was denied appropriate care during his detention.

His tragic death follows a pattern of abuse and neglect faced by political detainees across Burma’s prison system.

Another Young Political Prisoner Dies After Torture and Neglect

Just days earlier, on July 20, 25-year-old Ma Yut Yee Aung, a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Dagon University Students’ Union and another political prisoner, also died in junta custody. She had been arrested on September 14, 2021, for protesting the military coup and sentenced to three years under Section 505(a) in Insein Prison. Later, she was transferred to Daik-U Prison and eventually brought back to Insein, where she received an additional four-year sentence under Section 52(a) in June 2023.

Ma Yut Yee Aung suffered serious head and body injuries from torture during her initial interrogation following arrest. She required ongoing medical treatment throughout her imprisonment but was reportedly denied adequate care. Her death highlights the junta’s continued disregard for the lives and dignity of political detainees, especially young activists.

These two tragic deaths—within the span of one week—underscore the brutal conditions faced by Burma’s political prisoners. The junta’s use of torture, denial of medical care, and forced cremation of victims not only violate basic human rights but amount to crimes against humanity.

HURFOM strongly condemns these deliberate acts of cruelty and calls on the international community, including the United Nations, ASEAN, and international human rights mechanisms, to urgently investigate and hold the junta accountable for its inhumane treatment of detainees. Justice must be served for Ko Pyae Sone Aung, Ma Yut Yee Aung, and the countless others who continue to suffer under military rule.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News