MYANMAR – A total of 23 political prisoners died in prisons across Myanmar due to not receiving sufficient treatment in 2024, according to the data collected by the Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM).
The data covers until December 27 and it is said that three of those 23 political prisoners were women.
The number is an increase from last year’s 17.
“This is proof of the declining healthcare in prisons, as evidenced by the deaths of our comrades,” said Mr. Thaik Tun Oo from PPNM.
Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, the NLD Vice Chair and Prime Minister of Mandalay Division was also among those who lost their lives due to insufficient healthcare in prisons.
The junta council admitted him to an outside hospital and absolved him of his alleged crimes only when he was on his deathbed.
The European Union criticized that the junta council pardoning Dr. Zaw Myint Maung only hours before his death was not a true act of pardon.
Political prisoners had died from insufficient healthcare in Ohbo Prison, Daik U Prison, Kyaikmaraw Prison, Tharyarwaddy Prison, Magway Prison, Dawei Prison, Thayet Prison, Kalay Prison, Insein Prison, Pyay Prison, Myingyan Prison, as well as the police cells at Monywa Police Station.
At Yangon’s Insein Prison, notorious for oppression of political prisoners, political prisoners visiting the prison clinic for poor health were returned after being prescribed paracetamol only, according to a released political prisoner.
Since the military coup on February 1, 2021, a total of 28,046 people were abducted by the junta council, and 21,475 of them are still being detained, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
Meanwhile, the number of people sentenced was 9,919.
