15 Year Old Boy Tortured in Moulmein Police Station

May 7, 2013

HURFOM: After a physical clash between Mon State local police officers and Mon youth during Songkran festival (celebrated April 13-18), a 15 year old was tortured for two weeks in Muu-purn Police Station, Moulmein, the capital of Mon State.

A local witness reports that violence began after police officers seized a Mon National flag held by a group of young men, on the pretext that it was illegal to carry this flag. The flag, widely recognized as the Mon national and Mon State flag, is regularly displayed by individuals at Mon State festivals with no such repercussions.

After the clash, which resulted in the injury of four police officers, the youths fled the scene.

On April 21, 5 police trucks arrived at Kyun-ywa Village, Kyaikmayaw Township in Mon State. They arrested a group of young men suspected of involvement in the altercation, some of whom were under 15 years of age.

Following interviews with detainees and their families, reports have emerged that many of the suspects have been tortured whilst in police custody.

A 15 year old boy (whose name is withheld) explained:

“I was arrested at my home on April 21. Around 40 to 50 police officers came to the village and arrested all young people suspected of involvement, including me. After they arrested us they sent us all to Muu-purn police station, in the eastern part of Moulmein (Mawlamyaing).

“Soon after I arrived at the station, they pulled off my longyi [a skirt cloth commonly worn in Burma] and hit me many times. One of them pushed a needle into my face. They tied me down, opened my mouth and an officer spit betel-nut juice into my mouth.”

The 15 year old and his friends were put in detention, where they remain.

He added that while he was in detention the torture continued; police officers beat his face and body, and came every day to pull his hair. They told him that his hair was too long and so they were going to shorten it. Finally, after two weeks of gradual torture, he lost almost all of his hair.

Sometimes the young men were called separately to the interrogation room and tortured. The 15 year old suspect alleges that police officers sat him on a stool and tortured him severely, as they tried to make him confess that he and his friends had initiated the violence. Another group of police officials used less violent methods, talking to him and trying to compel him to admit to being a criminal.

After these interrogations, which unconfirmed reports claim also involved electric shock torture, police officers formulated official records for the incident. The group of young men were said to have started the violence, attacking police officers unprovoked. This account of the clash has been circulated widely, and reported in both state and national media.

In total, 11 young Mon men were arrested from Kanar-lay village and Kun-ywa villages in the aftermath of the clash. Whilst police officials initially stated that the men would face trial May 3, this has been postponed to May 8.

On May 6, the Mon Youth Forum (MYF), a coordinating body of Mon youth in Mon State, issued a statement calling for the unconditional release of these young men. MYF allege that local police forces hold responsibility for the clash, which they say occurred after a police officer tore down the group’s Mon national flag. MYF called for a detailed inquiry and for the guilty officer, named as Sgt. Myint Naing, to be punished.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News