Mizzima
Former political prisoners recently released reveal that Myeik Prison in Myeik Township, Tanintharyi Region, currently houses nearly 2,000 prisoners who are reportedly facing inadequate food and healthcare.
It is said that the prison’s population, which included political detainees, surpassed 1,000 following the military takeover in 2021, and between 2022 and 2023, it escalated to almost 2,000.
A recently released political prisoner said, “The overcrowded conditions and unhygienic food, and insufficient healthcare provided to the inmates is a problem. The political prisoners in Myeik Prison experienced violations of their rights.”
Additionally, reports indicate that certain inmates in the present-day Myeik prison are suffering from malnutrition due to the provision of only porridge and fried rice, lacking essential proteins in their diet.
“A significant number of them rely heavily on parcels sent by their families. However, there are more people who are facing difficulties,” said a former political prisoner.
Another former political prisoner said, “When we fell ill, they only provided paracetamol. In cases of severe illness, requesting additional medication was not an option.”
It has been reported that a significant portion of political prisoners in Myeik Prison are individuals sentenced to extended terms under Section 52 (a) and 50 (j) of the counter-terrorism law, as directly mandated by the military tribunal.
A recently released former political prisoner said, “Presently, with the addition of the newly constructed Dormitory No (5) in Myeik Prison, the inmate population stands at a standard 1,800. Should it exceed 2,000, there could be instances of people having to sleep in cramped conditions.”
Thaik Tun Oo, a member of the Myanmar Political Prisoners Network Steering Committee, has highlighted that the current prison system is overburdened, leading to serious problems such as inadequate medical care and violations of human rights.
Myanmar, with approximately 47 prisons and 50 labour camps, faces a situation where the number of inmates surpasses the capacity of the facilities, as indicated by both the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission and the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (AAPP).
