A political prisoner, Ko Kyaw Lin Aung (also known as Pyae Kyaw), has died in Salin Prison, Magway Region, due to inadequate healthcare facilities, according to prison sources. He passed away at an external hospital at 4:30 PM on September 17, after being admitted on September 14 with respiratory problems. He had been serving a combined 11-year sentence since 2023 under sections 52(a) and 51(a) of the penal code.
According to sources close to Salin Prison, conditions inside the facility are severely inadequate, particularly regarding healthcare provisions. Medical treatment provided within the prison is described as basic and falls far below human rights standards. Female political prisoners are reportedly subjected to forced labor and verbal abuse from prison officials. The situation reflects a broader pattern of human rights violations within Myanmar’s prison system.
The prison also faces serious issues with drug proliferation, particularly the widespread availability of narcotics and marijuana. More concerning is the alleged involvement of prison staff in drug distribution networks. Sources close to the prison indicate that since prisoners have no outside contact, the drug supply must necessarily flow through prison staff channels. This systematic corruption further compromises the already challenging conditions faced by inmates.
Throughout 2025, nearly 20 political prisoners have died in various prisons across Myanmar, according to families and associates of political prisoners. These deaths are attributed to inadequate medical care, torture, and human rights violations within the prison system. Activists point to these deaths as evidence of systematic mistreatment of political prisoners and the urgent need for prison reform and proper healthcare access for all inmates.
