Whereabouts of 12 Thaton political prisoners unknown

July 17, 2023

HURFOM: Between May and early July, 2023, the military secretly removed 12 political prisoners who faced long term imprisonment under Anti-Terrorist Act from Thaton Prison, in Mon State.

Those prisoners have lost contact with their family members. When family members attempted to visit their relatives, prison officials told them that the prisoners had been removed by other authorities and they did not know their whereabouts.

“The military suddenly moved the political prisoners who were sentenced under the Anti-Terrorist Act at midnight. No one knows where they were taken. Prison officials refused to tell family members of their whereabouts. ” said a local source.

Family members are worried because they were not transferred to another prison but secretly moved and no explanation has been provided.

“Bringing out a prisoner without a reason is a violation of prison rules. The prisoners can be transferred to another prison but bringing them out like this is unlawful,” said a senior lawyer.

On June 27, 2023, the military moved 37 prisoners from Kyike Sa Gaw Prison, Dike Oo Township, Pegu Division and they have been missing ever since, reported the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on July 10, 2023.

On June 13, 2023, two dead bodies were found in an abandoned KTV room in Ka Mar Sai village, Thaton Township, Mon State. They were men and wearing prisoners’ uniforms.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News