Dozens of ailing political prisoners denied care in Myanmar

Human rights groups in Myanmar demanded on Monday that dozens of jailed political prisoners be granted medical care for potentially lifethreatening illnesses including tuberculosis and gastrointestinal diseases.

“Nothing can justify the way these detainees have been treated,” said Matthew Smith, Executive Director of NGO Fortify Rights, referring to 53 students who have been detained for more than ten months in Thayawaddy prison, northeast of Yangon, for their participation in a peaceful protest in Letpadan town in Bago Region in March 2015.

The judge and prison authorities have refused to allow the students access to healthcare in the jail, despite that nearly half of them now suffer from medical conditions including tuberculosis, severe hypertension and gastrointestinal diseases, according to a statement released by Fortify Rights.

Six of the women also say that the prison guards have sexually assaulted them.

“Allegations of sexual abuse demand immediate attention... continued detention in these conditions could become a matter of life and death,” the NGO said.

The call comes following the amnesty granted to 102 prisoners, 52 of them political prisoners, by President U Thein Sein on Jan. 22, which was followed by demands from civil society that the government release the remaining 90plus prisoners of conscience.

“We appreciate the amnesties granted, but we will not be satisfied until all other political prisoners are released,” said U Tun Kyi, a member of the Former Political Prisoners Society (FFPS), as reported by the Myanmar Times newspaper today.