Blog Elements – Page 172

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Urgent Statement on the Extrajudicial Murder and Brutal Crackdown in Pathein Prison

January 8, 2023/in Member statements

Date; Jan 8, 2023 AAPP issues this statement to bring attention to the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the military junta. On the evening of January 5, 2023, a dispute occurred between prison authorities and political prisoners. Eight political prisoners were called out and brought from the compound. Their hands were tied behind their […]

Inmate killed, 8 in critical condition following crackdown at Myanmar Prison

January 6, 2023/in News

Political prisoners had protested after guards beat an inmate found with a mobile phone. Prison guards in Myanmar on Friday shot and killed a political prisoner and wounded more than 60 other people – including eight critically – after inmates protested their beating of the victim a day earlier, Radio Free Asia has learned. The […]

Urgent Statement on the Extrajudicial Murder and Brutal Crackdown in Pathein Prison

January 8, 2023/in Member statements

Inmate killed, 8 in critical condition following crackdown at Myanmar Prison

January 6, 2023/in News

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Urgent Statement on the Extrajudicial Murder and Brutal Crackdown in Pathein Prison

January 8, 2023/in Member statements

Date; Jan 8, 2023

AAPP issues this statement to bring attention to the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the military junta. On the evening of January 5, 2023, a dispute occurred between prison authorities and political prisoners. Eight political prisoners were called out and brought from the compound. Their hands were tied behind their back, and they were savagely kicked and beaten with batons. Following brutal torture several political prisoners were severely injured some of whom are in critical condition, and at least one political prisoner was killed. AAPP strongly condemns these severe crimes of extrajudicial murder and torture in a crackdown.

In Burma since the coup, rule of law and any judicial system have collapsed. The pillars of military rule – judges, soldiers, police, and prison guards are being used by the junta to abuse and torture political prisoners. In fact, in every prison, political prisoners are intentionally tortured and violated.

On January 5, 2022, there was an altercation between political prisoners and prison guards. Prison personnel used excess force to crackdown with brutal beatings on political prisoners who were severely beaten with hands tied behind their back. One political prisoner was killed, and several critically injured. Looking at these events, the torture and extrajudicial killings in Pathein Prison are crimes under the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT).

Junta authorities including Pathein Prison Superintendent Nay Min Htet, Pathein City Surveillance Police Station Officer Myint Aung, and Police Station Officer Kyaw Oo, are responsible for Pathein Prison. Those who ordered crimes be perpetrated in Pathein Prison, as well as all other relevant prison officers who personally carried out the violations are responsible and must be held to account.

AAPP condemns these extrajudicial killings and brutal torture which occur daily under military rule and will strive to achieve justice for all political prisoners whose rights have been violated.

We urge the international community to provide protection from the daily perpetrated human rights violations, extrajudicial killings and brutal torture. The junta is committing international crimes, but such cases cannot be handled within the domestic judiciary system – international judiciary mechanisms must hence take action for accountability.

Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984)

Article 2

2.2 No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as justification of torture.

2.3.An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture.

For More Information

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners

Email, info@aappb.org

Download link forchrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://aappb.org/…/AAPP-Statement-on-the-Extrajudicial…

Inmate killed, 8 in critical condition following crackdown at Myanmar Prison

January 6, 2023/in News

Political prisoners had protested after guards beat an inmate found with a mobile phone.

Prison guards in Myanmar on Friday shot and killed a political prisoner and wounded more than 60 other people – including eight critically – after inmates protested their beating of the victim a day earlier, Radio Free Asia has learned.

The incident at Pathein Prison is the latest in a string of more than 15 violent crackdowns on protests by political prisoners – which authorities termed “riots” – in the nearly two years since Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup.

On Thursday night, guards discovered a mobile phone in the possession of Wai Yan Phyo, a prisoner of conscience serving 28 years on undisclosed charges, according to sources in Pathein Prison and others assisting political prisoners at the facility.

Following the discovery, guards pulled Wai Yan Phyo – also known as Mae Gyi – and two other inmates from their cells and beat them throughout the night before returning them on Friday morning, the sources said.

Tun Kyi, a leading member of a rights group known as the Former Political Prisoners’ Society, said that when the three men explained what had happened to them to their fellow inmates and demanded they be released, authorities refused, sparking a protest by other political prisoners. Guards responded by beating and opening fire on the protesters, he said.

“At around 9:30 a.m., police and prison staff together restrained about 60 prisoners [angering other inmates]. After that the shooting occurred,” Tun Kyi said.

“Wai Yan Phyo was hit in the head by three bullets and died on the spot. The main reason was that he was taken out [of his cell] because a mobile phone was found in his possession and [the guards] tortured him all that night,” he added.

Among the wounded were Pho La Pyae, Win Min Htet, Soe Yu Kyaw, Wai Zaw Lat, Aung Tun Myint, Kyaw Ye Aung, Ye Thway Ni and an eighth man who is yet to be identified, Tun Kyi said. The eight are in critical condition, suffering from gunshot wounds and other injuries.

According to Tun Kyi, the wards housing political prisoners at Pathein Prison are now under heavy security.

Later on Friday, the junta’s information team issued a press release which said that police and prison officials had “undertaken security measures to control a riot” at the complex that was “started by inmates angered over the investigation of an inmate discovered with a mobile phone.”

The statement also blamed the death and injuries on “a clash” between the two sides. Two police officers and nine prison staff were also injured in the incident, it said.

Responding to reports of the incident, Thailand’s Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) referred to authorities’ treatment of Wai Yan Phyo and the two other inmates as “torture,” and called it “a serious and blatant violation of human rights.”

ENG_BUR_PrisonerShooting_01062023.2.jpeg — The scene at Pathein Prison in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady region after prison guards killed one inmate and injured more than 60 on Jan. 6, 2023. Credit: Myanmar military

String of prison crackdowns

In August, RFA learned that authorities had violently cracked down on at least 15 peaceful protests by political prisoners since the military coup in Yangon’s notorious Insein Prison, as well as Mandalay’s Ohbo Prison, Tharrawaddy Prison, Kalay Prison, Pathein Prison, Bago Prison and Pyay Prison, based on an analysis of local news reports and interviews with family members of political prisoners.

Authorities killed at least seven prisoners in a single incident at Kalay Prison in March last year, which residents of the area said was the result of a “crackdown on those protesting ill-treatment” at the facility.

A former political prisoner at Insein Prison told RFA that Myanmar has a unique history of prison protests – with prisoners fighting against military rule from inside the walls of detention.

After the junta executed four prominent activists in July – the first judicial executions in more than 30 years – prisoners on death row are experiencing renewed trauma and fear about their own fates, he added.

According to AAPP (Burma), authorities in Myanmar have killed more than 2,700 civilians and arrested nearly 17,000 others since the coup – mostly during peaceful anti-junta protests. While authorities have released some 3,500 people, nearly 13,400 have been sentenced to prison or remain in detention.

Translated by Kyaw Min Htun. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

RFA News

Spring Revolution

Human Rights Situation weekly update (September 8 to 14, 2024)September 20, 2024 - 2:30 pm
Human Rights Violations took place in States and Regions from Sep 8 to 14, 2024 Military Junta Troop launched airstrikes and dropped bombs in the Magway Region, Shan State, Kachin State, and Rakhine State from September 8th to 14th. Military Junta arrested the civilians as human shields from Mindon Township, Magway Region, and Salingyi Township, […]
Human Rights Situation weekly update (September 1 to 7, 2024)September 13, 2024 - 5:08 pm
Human Rights Violations took place in States and Regions from Sep 1 to 7, 2024 Military Junta Troop launched airstrikes and dropped bombs in the Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, Magway Region, and Shan State from September 1st to 7th. The Military Junta threatened that they would launch airstrikes on the townships which they lost. The […]
Human Rights Situation weekly update (Aug 22 to 31, 2024)September 7, 2024 - 4:09 pm
Human Rights Violations took place in States and Regions from Aug 22 to 31, 2024 Military Junta Troop launched airstrikes and dropped bombs in the Sagaing Region, Magway Region, Bago Region, Mandalay Region, Tanintharyi Region, and Shan State from August 22nd to 31st. Head of Prison which works under Military Junta, tortured and blackmailed the […]

Multimedia

What is the Truth (Cartoon Animation)May 31, 2024 - 4:58 pm
What is Transitional Justice (Cartoon Animation)May 3, 2024 - 8:38 am
Close the SkyApril 11, 2024 - 7:45 am
Forced MarriageJanuary 9, 2024 - 2:12 pm

ND Burma

ND-Burma formed in 2004 in order to provide a way for Burma human rights organizations to collaborate on the human rights documentation process. The 13 ND-Burma member organizations seek to collectively use the truth of what communities in Burma have endured to advocate for justice for victims. ND-Burma trains local organizations in human rights documentation; coordinates members’ input into a common database using Martus, a secure open-source software; and engages in joint-advocacy campaigns.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

ND Burma

Recent Posts