Political prisoner Ma Wut Yee Aung, a central executive committee member of Dagon University Students’ Union, died on July 20 in Yangon’s Insein Prison due to injuries sustained during military interrogation and lack of proper medical treatment. She was arrested on September 14, 2021, along with five other students in Kyauktada Township for opposing the military council’s coup alongside the student body.
After her arrest, the military council sentenced Ma Wut Yee Aung to three years imprisonment under Section 505(a) at Insein Prison. During interrogation, she sustained head injuries from physical abuse, and upon entering prison, she was denied adequate medical care. Due to her deteriorating health condition, she was later transferred to Daik-U Prison.
At Daik-U Prison, despite her worsening health condition and requests for treatment at an external hospital, authorities denied her access to proper medical care. She was subsequently transferred back to Insein Prison, where on June 27, 2023, she received an additional four-year sentence under Section 52(a). The Prison Department only provided superficial medical attention despite her severely declining health condition.
A representative from the Political Prisoners’ Organization stated that they will continue to investigate the actions of those responsible for Ma Wut Yee Aung’s death. The organization confirmed that her death resulted from the combination of inadequate medical care in prison and the injuries sustained during military interrogation. The case highlights the ongoing issues of prisoner mistreatment and denial of medical care within Myanmar’s prison system under military control.
