Mizzima
The Myanmar junta has admitted to killing eight political prisoners who were in a group of 37 prisoners removed without explanation by the authorities from Daik-U Prison in Bago Region on 27 June.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAFP), on 27 June, under the pretense of transferring them, the military removed political prisoners from Daik-U (Kyaiksakaw) Prison. A total of 37 political prisoners have since gone missing. However, previously, when concerned families of the political prisoners inquired at Daik-U Prison, the prison authorities repeatedly denied the whereabouts of these prisoners.
On 7 July the family of Khant Linn Naing (aka Ko Khant, aka Let Wel), a political prisoner at Daik-U Prison received a letter from Daik-U Prison saying their son was dead.
On 8 July the family of another Daik-U prisoner, Pyae Phyo Hein (aka Ko Pyae), also received a letter saying he was dead.
The letters stated that while transferring prisoners from Daik-U Prison to Insein Prison, a transport vehicle suffered an accident. Seizing the opportunity, the two of them (Khant Linn Naing and Pyae Phyo Hein) were alleged to have attempted escape. As a result, they were killed by the security forces who fired “warning shots” at them in an attempt to recapture.
Despite the letters being dated as “June 29”, they arrived to the 2 families on only July 7 and July 8 respectively. However, the letter inside the envelope sent to Pyae Phyo Hein’s was in fact addressed to Khin Moe Moe, the wife of the still missing Aung Myo Thu who was still missing at the time.
This caused massive concern for Aung Myo Thu’s safety, fears which were confirmed when AAFP released a statement on 19 July saying that the families of a further six of the 37 prisoners who went missing from Daik-U Prison, including Aung Myo Thu’s family, had received letters saying that their imprisoned relatives were dead.
The six were named as: Ko Zin Myint Tun (aka Yar Lay), Ko Wai Yan Lwin (aka Gyargyi), Ko Zin Win Htut, Ko Aung Myo Thu, Ko Bo Bo Win, and Ko Nay Aye.
AAPP has increasingly been documenting letters being sent to the families of these missing political prisoners informing them of their deaths and says such letters are not only an act of extrajudicial murder upon political prisoners, but severe psychological torture against family members of the political prisoners in question.
In a statement, AAPP said: “It is clear, these brazen murders of political prisoners in prisons violates not only domestic laws, but also international laws. Such killings mirror the unlawful and sadistic murders of the Jewish community by the fascist Nazi Germany during the World War II. Moreover, political prisoners removed from Daik-U Prison remain missing without a trace. It is currently unknown whether they are dead or alive. These actions overstep the procedures of prison, along with committing the heinous crime of unjust torture and illegal killings. This is also a blatant violation of the ASEAN Human Rights Convention.
“In Burma, the rule of law has been rendered void since the military junta coup by the supporting pillars of junta rule: the judges; soldiers; police; prison staff, who have intentionally perpetrated wrongful arrests, unlawful sentencings, illegal killings, torture and persecution of political prisoners in prisons, at the command of the junta.
“We, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, strongly condemn such unlawful killings and torture, we will do our best to ensure justice for all political prisoners who have been wrongfully imprisoned.
“All perpetrating parties must be held accountable for these acts.”
