Mizzima
The Myanmar junta is building new prisons across the country, according to U Thaik Tun Oo, a member of the Political Prisoners Network-Myanmar (PPNM) Steering Committee.
He said that the junta needs to build more prisons because currently, Myanmar’s prisons are already overcrowded and the junta wants to imprison even more people who oppose them.
“The military council is building new prisons in several locations. This demonstrates significant preparedness on their part. It suggests that the political situation will not end soon, and they are anticipating the need for more detention facilities. They are building new prisons on the assumption that they need more places to detain those who oppose them”, said U Thaik Tun Oo.
According to the ‘Mapping Myanmar’s Prisons’ 31 January 2024 report, by Myanmar Witness, there are currently 59 prisons in Myanmar, of which 53 are official prisons. The report also identified that the junta has built two new prisons since the February 2021 coup until January 2024, one in Mawlamyine Township, Mon State and one in Monywa Township, Sagaing Region.
The report also said that two more prisons are scheduled to open in the near future in Ayeyarwady and Bago states. The Ayeyarwady State Prison near Pathein appeared to be near completion at the time of the report. According to a 23 May Facebook post update by Myanmar Witness construction of the prison in Bago Township is also well underway as shown in a recently released update of Google Earth Images.
As well as the building of new prisons the Myanmar Witness January report revealed that of the 59 prisons it had identified 88 per cent have been renovated or expanded since the coup.
40 prisons (68 per cent of the total) appeared to have undergone development or maintenance since the coup, including new roofs, upgrades to gatehouses, added watchtowers, and updated structures. It is unclear which, if any of these improvements increased the amount of prisoner accommodation.
According to the latest statement issued by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on 24 May, 20,482 people are still being detained for their opposition to the junta and the coup. Of those 9,0003 have been convicted and sentenced.
