At Yamaethin Prison in Mandalay Region, Prison Warden Soe Thiha and his deputy Aung Myo Oo have been reported to be torturing and extorting money from prisoners, including political prisoners, according to prison sources. The prison currently holds numerous businesspeople arrested by the military, including oil, rice, dollar, and gold traders, from whom the warden and his deputy have been demanding money through threats and intimidation.
According to prison sources, the warden collects between 1 million to 1.5 million kyats from each merchant, using these extorted funds to purchase two new vehicles worth tens of millions of kyats. The prisoners have become victims of systematic extortion as the warden has allegedly bribed high-ranking officials in the Prison Department. Political prisoners are also subjected to various forms of oppression in addition to these illegal monetary demands.
At Thayawady Prison in Bago Region, prisoners are facing severe overcrowding, limited electricity supply, and water shortages. Inmates are unable to maintain proper hygiene or take regular baths, leading to widespread skin infections and other illnesses. The situation has worsened following the transfer of numerous prisoners from other facilities in August, resulting in increased cases of skin diseases and other health issues. The healthcare provision in the prison remains severely inadequate.
In Thayawady Prison, male prison staff reportedly entered the women’s ward and physically assaulted female political prisoners following an alleged verbal dispute between political prisoners and other inmates. During the rainy season, skin diseases have affected up to 70 percent of the prison population across various facilities. The prisons are failing to provide adequate healthcare, and families are not permitted to send medicine to their imprisoned relatives. The situation continues to deteriorate with insufficient medical care and restrictions on external medical supplies.
