Two political prisoners at Hpa-an’s Taungkalay Prison in Karen State were victims of an attempted murder by a group of 12 criminal inmates. The victims were Ko Kyaw Kyaw Myint, who is serving a 15-year sentence, and Ko Min Thu Soe, who is serving a 4-year sentence. The incident occurred on April 30th when Htet Naing, a criminal inmate trusted by the prison warden, ordered the political prisoners to enter the dormitory to explain why the fish curry for meals was delayed. When the political prisoners entered the dormitory as instructed, a criminal inmate named Spring initiated the attack by striking their heads with a concrete block wrapped in cloth.
The attack escalated as other criminal inmates including Min Min (aka Pa Pyat), Min Htet, Paung Chain, and Nwar Gyi joined in the assault. As a result of the group attack, political prisoner Ko Kyaw Kyaw Myint suffered severe head injuries requiring three stitches, along with bruising and swelling throughout his body. Ko Min Thu Soe sustained even more serious injuries, requiring seven stitches for head wounds, along with facial injuries and extensive bruising across his body. Despite the attack taking place in front of the prison ward office, prison staff including Officer Aung Ye Naing, Corporal Win Maung, and Corporal Thein Than Oo (aka Pyaung Gyi) made no attempt to intervene and merely watched the incident unfold.
The attackers were revealed to be members of the ‘Bar Kut Gang,’ a group specifically organized to suppress political prisoners within the prison. This gang, which has approximately 100 members, was established by a former prison warden. The gang members can be identified by matching bar code tattoos on their necks. The incident is currently under investigation by the Karen State Prison Department’s Director, and the victims plan to pursue legal action outside the prison system. The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM) has stated they will monitor both the departmental inquiry findings and any subsequent court proceedings.
