The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM) Central Committee member Ko Thet Tun Oo has confirmed that CDM school headmistress Daw Myint Myint Than has died in Mandalay’s Obo Prison due to lack of medical treatment. The headmistress was arrested on July 27, 2023, and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment under Section 52(a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law. Despite being a tuberculosis patient requiring regular medical care, she did not receive adequate treatment. When her condition worsened, she requested permission from prison authorities for external medical treatment, but her request was denied, leading to her death on May 7.
The headmistress, who was receiving intensive treatment for tuberculosis, died due to lack of timely medical intervention when she developed complications. According to PPNM’s statement, from January to June 1, 2025, at least 11 political prisoners have died due to insufficient medical care in prisons. Notably, Mandalay’s Obo Prison has recorded the highest number of deaths this year.
The inadequate medical care in Myanmar’s prisons has led to a continuous pattern of illness among prisoners, including political prisoners, deterioration of pre-existing conditions due to lack of treatment access, and preventable deaths. The situation serves as evidence of the severe inadequacy of prison medical care, and the Political Prisoners Network has urged immediate action to prevent further deaths. The network emphasizes that these deaths are occurring in situations where proper medical care could have prevented the loss of life.
