Two Political Prisoners Die in Myanmar Amid Torture, Neglect Claims

[geovalin]

 

Two prominent political detainees in Myanmar have died in custody, sparking fresh outrage over conditions in the country’s notorious prisons and renewed accusations of torture and medical neglect by the military junta.

 

Ma Wut Yi Aung, 26, a student activist arrested for anti-regime activities in 2021, died on Sunday inside Yangon’s Insein Prison while serving a two-year sentence. According to the Political Prisoners Network of Myanmar, she was tortured during interrogation and never recovered.

 

Just a day earlier, Ko Pyae Sone Aung, 44, an executive member of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) in Mon State, died in Thaton Prison. The group said he had suffered from multiple untreated illnesses, reflecting a broader pattern of denied medical care for political inmates.

 

“These are not isolated incidents,” the network stated. “They represent systemic abuse, negligence, and the junta’s complete disregard for the lives of those it detains.”

 

Both deaths underscore ongoing concerns from human rights groups about Myanmar’s prison system since the 2021 military coup, which triggered mass protests and a brutal crackdown on dissent.

 

Thousands have been jailed under vague or politically motivated charges, with reports of torture, inhumane conditions, and denial of basic healthcare widely documented.

 

International calls for access to political detainees and independent prison monitoring have so far been ignored by the junta, which continues to tighten its grip amid escalating conflict with resistance forces across the country.

 

Family members of both victims have yet to receive full details surrounding the deaths, while activists are urging international bodies to investigate the treatment of detainees and push for accountability.

 

“These deaths should never have happened,” said a former prisoner who spoke anonymously. “But in today’s Myanmar, dying in prison has become a terrifyingly common fate.”

 

As more names are added to the growing list of casualties behind bars, pressure is mounting for the international community to act—not only to condemn, but to intervene before more lives are lost.

 

-2025-07-21