Twenty-eight political prisoners in Kale Prison, Sagaing Region, have been kept in solitary confinement with their legs shackled for nearly two years, according to the Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM)
They were accused of plotting a jailbreak in March 2022 and junta soldiers and police were brought in to beat them.
Nine inmates, of which eight were political prisoners, were killed, including a Chin Nationalities Defense Force fighter.
Twenty-eight political prisoners were tortured, handed another four years for allegedly damaging public property and put in solitary confinement with their legs shackled, said Ko Thaik Tun Oo of PPNM.
The shackles were taken off on January 4 during the regime’s prisoner amnesty.
“They are still in solitary confinement. They feel better with the shackles off but were injured during the beatings. Those who were badly injured were given medical treatment but it was insufficient,” said Ko Thaik Tun Oo.
They asked for the shackles to be removed during their 643 days in irons.
“It is a human rights violation. The prison authorities abused their power by beating and shackling them. Their legs are permanently damaged,” Ko Thaik Tun Oo said.
Prisoners can complain under prison rules if they are shackled for more than 90 days.
They were serving three- to 10-year sentences.
A Kale prisoner’s relative said: “We can barely visit or send food. We have been displaced by fighting and we don’t know what’s happening inside the prison.”
Around 25,762 people have been arrested since the 2021 coup and 19,924 remain in custody, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
