Insein Prison. Burma

[johninbkk]

Has ANYONE had, or know of anyone serving time in this prison? I need real help on any information. My maid/housekeeper of 8 years has just been sentenced there. I do not have any other details other than this is where she will be for quite a long time. She worked for me in Bkk for more than 8 years and 18 odd months ago she returned to Burma because her father died and her bother was caught up in drugs and is constantly in and out of rehab. Her family, as you would imagine, are extremely poor. She would send back her salary and has done for the entire 8 + years she had worked in Thailand. Now the story goes. She returned home to find not only her father dead, but he left quite a legacy of debt. Her elder brother finally succumbed to the scourge of drugs and some 12 odd months he died. Her mother is elderly and not in good health, + she has a younger sister mentally handicapped. I re-read her last letter to me that was dated January 2009 and if you read between the lines she was under enormous strain to support the remaining family members, she herself is only 28. An intelligent girl that could, read, write and speak 3 languages, oh what a waste of life. I feel so anguished sitting her in comfy Bkk. What can I do to help????? Can anyone put me in touch with people with experience in this matter. I and willing to pay whatever it takes to assist her. I would like to visit her, but, is it safe for me? Westerners’ don't have a good relationship with the junta. Especially when it comes to internal affairs. My aim would be to have the assistance of a local lawyer, (Burmese) to assist in any negotiating with whatever authorities in the Jail for whatever I could do for her. This post is getting a little longwinded and I guess a little confusing to the reader, it's just that I’m in a distress state and everything seems to be flowing in so many directions.

In anticipation of assistance or advise/advice, I thank the people who take the time to reply to this post.

[Boater]

best to contact a lawyer there to assist, as anyone outside burma trying to assist a burmesse will be nr impossibe, and remember the prison is run by the junta ! , saying that you could ask a lawyer to enquire on how much her release would be..

thats my 2 cents

[jaiyenyen]

Sorry, I don't have any direct experience, so I can't really help.

How about getting in touch with the Red Cross, or another international group, maybe they could help. Whatever happens, I wish her luck. It sounds like she's there because of the mistakes of others.

[JohnnyFeelIt]

What was she actually prosecuted with?

[Chunky1]

You even meeting with a lawyer to discuss the issue is probably illegal. I would pay a Thai lawyer to go on your behalf. The farang card carries zero weight over there.

[jackr]

Hope it's not political as she may not even be allowed council access.

[lannarebirth]

There are a couple of board members here with strong Burma experience and presumably helpful contacts. I would ignore just about everything everyone else has to say until they come along and offer their advice.

[phazey]

You need to find out what she is prosecuted with before anyone with any experience of how the legal system works can offer anything useful, if anything at all.

I think that's all i can say at this time.

[Thongkorn]

Burmese people can be put in prison for simply leaving Burma, Its a sad place, as long as china keeps supporting the Junta there will be little change. my wife's friend who worked along side her , for half the wages, The lady in question walk for three months across the jungle dodging the junta (army), They would have killed her if they had caught her. She was just happy to be alive , I wonder what mental state of mind they must be in. And we think we have worries because the beer is to hot or cold .Best of luck mate nice to see some one else has a conscience.

[Chunky1]

There are a couple of board members here with strong Burma experience and presumably helpful contacts. I would ignore just about everything everyone else has to say until they come along and offer their advice.

experience doing what exactly out of curiosity?

[johninbkk]

I have had some direct contact with close friends of her's, in Burma, it maybe just possible to assist. Sorry to be so vague. Maybe be I'm just too paranoid to mention anything on-air, well until she has been released. Just one point, it will cost a lot of money. If that's all it cost, I'm more than happy to part with it. I'll update when I have clear evidence of events. Thank you dearly to all who offered their help and advice. John

[phazey]

There are a couple of board members here with strong Burma experience and presumably helpful contacts. I would ignore just about everything everyone else has to say until they come along and offer their advice.

experience doing what exactly out of curiosity?

For a start, helping Burmese friends in need.....

[sabaijai]

I know a few people who have served time at Insein. Do you know what she is charged with or how long the sentence is? As notorious as Insein may be, one thing about the prison system in Myanmar is, unlike in China, Laos, or Vietnam, where people just disappear or are given indeterminate sentences, prisoners in Myanmar are generally released when their sentences are finished - sometimes before depending on circumstances.

Insein is the largest prison in Yangon and conditions there are reportedly better than many prisons elsewhere in the country. The people I know who were there have served sentences ranging from six months to five years depending on the ruling. All emerged relatively unscathed even though each was convicted for political charges.

The ICRC has access to all prisons in Myanmar (here again Myanmar fares better than China, Laos or Vietnam), and you might want to try contacting them. This website has details.

http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/myanmar?opendocument

The ICRC has been a major point of contact and assistance to family and friends of prisoners in Myanmar. For awhile their personal visits were suspended, but they still kept a database of prisoners.

You can also try contacting an attorney without going there yourself. There are many legal offices and contrary to what was posted above, it is not illegal for you to seek legal advice from a lawyer there.

http://www.myanmar-yellowpages.com/yellow_pages/yp_cate_show.asp?ccode=026975

Edited August 14, 2010 by sabaijai

[johninbkk]

I know a few people who have served time at Insein. Do you know what she is charged with or how long the sentence is? As notorious as Insein may be, one thing about the prison system in Myanmar is, unlike in China, Laos, or Vietnam, where people just disappear or are given indeterminate sentences, prisoners in Myanmar are generally released when their sentences are finished - sometimes before depending on circumstances.

Insein is the largest prison in Yangon and conditions there are reportedly better than many prisons elsewhere in the country. The people I know who were there have served sentences ranging from six months to five years depending on the ruling. All emerged relatively unscathed even though each was convicted for political charges.

The ICRC has access to all prisons in Myanmar (here again Myanmar fares better than China, Laos or Vietnam), and you might want to try contacting them. This website has details.

http://www.icrc.org/...ar?opendocument

The ICRC has been a major point of contact and assistance to family and friends of prisoners in Myanmar. For awhile their personal visits were suspended, but they still kept a database of prisoners.

You can also try contacting an attorney without going there yourself. There are many legal offices and contrary to what was posted above, it is not illegal for you to seek legal advice from a lawyer there.

http://www.myanmar-y...sp?ccode=026975

This is fantastic information. Many, many thanks. As previously mentioned, when the dust has settled I'll inform you all.,

P.S. I'll be taking a short trip to Yangon soon. I'll have no involvement other than handing over the cash to her relative. So I'll be behind the scene.

[TheWhiteFella]

I know a few people who have served time at Insein. Do you know what she is charged with or how long the sentence is? As notorious as Insein may be, one thing about the prison system in Myanmar is, unlike in China, Laos, or Vietnam, where people just disappear or are given indeterminate sentences, prisoners in Myanmar are generally released when their sentences are finished - sometimes before depending on circumstances.

Insein is the largest prison in Yangon and conditions there are reportedly better than many prisons elsewhere in the country. The people I know who were there have served sentences ranging from six months to five years depending on the ruling. All emerged relatively unscathed even though each was convicted for political charges.

The ICRC has access to all prisons in Myanmar (here again Myanmar fares better than China, Laos or Vietnam), and you might want to try contacting them. This website has details.

http://www.icrc.org/...ar?opendocument

The ICRC has been a major point of contact and assistance to family and friends of prisoners in Myanmar. For awhile their personal visits were suspended, but they still kept a database of prisoners.

You can also try contacting an attorney without going there yourself. There are many legal offices and contrary to what was posted above, it is not illegal for you to seek legal advice from a lawyer there.

http://www.myanmar-y...sp?ccode=026975

This is fantastic information. Many, many thanks. As previously mentioned, when the dust has settled I'll inform you all.,

P.S. I'll be taking a short trip to Yangon soon. I'll have no involvement other than handing over the cash to her relative. So I'll be behind the scene.

[TheWhiteFella]

Be very carefull who you give any money to /if you live in Thyailand you already know that.

God bless you for your good heart,

I spent a year in BKK prison Klong Prem and it is not fun, but better than prison in USA or some place where there are gangs and much violence, also the exictance of lady boys make rape a non issue.

[Fletcher]

If it has anything to do with politics, then leave it alone.

First, find out what she was sentenced for, and whether Civil or Criminal.

If, as your post suggests, it is civil and related to her father's debts, find out how much the debt was and decide whether you are prepared to pay it off for her. You would then need a good lawyer who has standing within the system. He may be able to negotiate with the injured party, and come to a settlement, which could ultimately then lead to her release. As part of this the lawyer would need to do some research into who the injured party is as this will have a significant bearing on how and whether to proceed. It also wouldn't be unheard of that she had poor representation at trial, and the case may be full of holes giving ammunition, for a (lower value) settlement and appeal for release.

Do not be put off by the Burma detractors telling you whats legal and what isn't, and that you have to be scared to come here. Its utter BS. You could visit her at the prison, using a lawyer to make arrangements. It is not difficult and there is no threat to you for doing so.

The ICRC are primarily involved with Political Prisoners and are unlikely to be interested in this case. Secondly, if her name became linked to the ICRC within the system, this would probably be disadvantageous to her and any subsequent attempt for early release. I would not go down that road.

If you PM me with more of the case details, I can get you more specific advice or arrange you an introduction to a lawyer.

[johninbkk]

If it has anything to do with politics, then leave it alone.

First, find out what she was sentenced for, and whether Civil or Criminal.

If, as your post suggests, it is civil and related to her father's debts, find out how much the debt was and decide whether you are prepared to pay it off for her. You would then need a good lawyer who has standing within the system. He may be able to negotiate with the injured party, and come to a settlement, which could ultimately then lead to her release. As part of this the lawyer would need to do some research into who the injured party is as this will have a significant bearing on how and whether to proceed. It also wouldn't be unheard of that she had poor representation at trial, and the case may be full of holes giving ammunition, for a (lower value) settlement and appeal for release.

Do not be put off by the Burma detractors telling you whats legal and what isn't, and that you have to be scared to come here. Its utter BS. You could visit her at the prison, using a lawyer to make arrangements. It is not difficult and there is no threat to you for doing so.

The ICRC are primarily involved with Political Prisoners and are unlikely to be interested in this case. Secondly, if her name became linked to the ICRC within the system, this would probably be disadvantageous to her and any subsequent attempt for early release. I would not go down that road.

If you PM me with more of the case details, I can get you more specific advice or arrange you an introduction to a lawyer.

Thank you for your informative advice.

By the way, it's crimal and not political. Hmm! maybe it should have been as she has always been a knocker of you know who... Thanks u all.

[jobsworth]

Not that I can help much

but I was sitting in a cafe in Koh Kong Cambodia

when I heard 3 men behind me talking in a language

I had never heard before.

When I asked them in English what was their language

they replied, in perfect English, Burmese.

They told me that they had come by boat to deliver cement.

Then I asked them how were things in Burma and they became silent.

I said that you are in Cambodia and you can speak freely about your country.

This they declined to do.

Yes, there is a lot of fear in Burma.

Edited August 15, 2010 by jobsworth

[marcgold]

John,

I have an important reply to your posting about the woman in prison in Burma but I must communicate with you via email as my information is sensitive.

Thank you,

Edited August 20, 2010 by sabaijai

[jackr]

Send him a pm