By Sayar Ngaat / MPA 

Prison authorities under the control of the military junta are oppressing and extorting money from political prisoners after transferring them, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

Since the second week of June 2024, political prisoners across Myanmar have been transferred between various prisons, said Ko Thike Htun Oo, a steering committee member of the AAPP.

He added, “It has been observed that they extort money, especially from those who have just arrived after being transferred or arrested. They extort money in one way or another under the pretext of Pone San fees.”

These so-called “Pone San fees” are for prisoners to be spared from beatings when prison officials train them to adhere to proper conduct during their stay and having meals, including rules on how to behave when meeting with prison officials. This form of extortion has become a way of earning for prison officials in recent times, with more structured methods being used to oppress the prisoners, as explained by Ko Theik Htun Oo. 

Sources close to the prisons report that political prisoners, who had recently been transferred, have not only been forced to pay these fees but are also required to further bribe the chief jailor, assistant jailor, and warden for betel quid, cigarette, and accommodations. 

Additionally, at Myaungmya Prison in the Ayeyarwady Region, the “Pone San fees” reach up to 50,000 kyats, while at Daik-U Prison in Bago Region, the fees go up to 100,000 kyats. In Insein and Tharyarwaddy Prisons, the amounts range from a minimum of 30,000 kyats to a maximum of 500,000 kyats, according to AAPP reports.

“When prisoners cannot pay, they are beaten. It’s not about hitting their faces but rather targeting their ribs, and backs and kicking them. Even if an inmate was severely beaten to death, they even falsely justify these extrajudicial killings as accidental during inspections,” a source close to Daik-U Prison noted.

“Daik-U Prison, where a death occurred in 2023, has been notorious for brutal treatment, even against women,” a representative from the AAPP remarked, “If they treat women this way, the men are subjected to even worse violence.”

On June 15, 2024, over 40 female political prisoners from Kyaikmaraw Prison were transferred to Daik-U Prison, where they were subjected to violence under accusations of drug possession and other contraband, according to a statement by the Women’s Organization of Political Prisoners (WOPP).

Since the military coup on February 1, 2021, and until August 14, 2024, a total of 27,202 political prisoners have been detained, with 20,748 still in custody, according to data from the AAPP.