Sources inside Magway Central Prison have reported that political prisoner and Islamic religious leader Ko Myat Ko was brutally tortured and killed by a group led by Prison Officer Min Lwin Oo. The incident occurred on April 27 at Magway Central Prison, where Prison Officer Min Lwin Oo (aka Buffalo), Deputy Officers Thein Win and Win Naing, and Ward 3 supervisor Kyaw San Oo subjected Ko Myat Ko to inhumane beatings in the punishment cell, resulting in his death.
According to prison sources, Ko Myat Ko’s death was not the result of a fight but a deliberate killing. While there had been previous verbal disputes with prison staff regarding religious matters, the officers took advantage of an opportunity to chain his feet, handcuff him, and take him to the punishment cell where they beat him severely after exposing him to the sun. Ko Myat Ko’s body was found with his hair, beard, and mustache completely shaved off, and his entire body was covered in injuries. The sources indicate that four senior officers deliberately chained him and beat him twice daily, in the morning and evening, in an open yard until his death.
Prison Officer Min Lwin Oo has been known to discriminate against and harbor hatred toward Muslims, frequently abusing prisoners under his authority. During the fatal assault, Deputy Officer Thein Win punched Ko Myat Ko’s throat five times, Deputy Officer Win Naing struck his spine and head with a stick, and Ward Supervisor Kyaw San Oo repeatedly punched his face. Min Lwin Oo specifically ordered the forceful shaving of Ko Myat Ko’s religiously maintained beard and mustache. Prison sources have called for an investigation into the incident, including a review of medical reports from the prison hospital and forensic doctors. They warn that remaining prisoners’ lives are at risk if this case of torture and killing goes unaddressed, urging relevant organizations to inspect prison conditions and prevent further abuse.
