By Ra Wai / MPA
Another political prisoner has died in Obo Prison, Mandalay, due to inadequate medical care.
The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM) reported on Tuesday that Ko Aung Tun, who was in good health at the time of his arrest, developed severe sores after being incarcerated. Despite receiving treatment at the prison hospital, his condition worsened, and he died on Feb.18. Authorities have refused to release his body.
Ko Thaike Tun Oo, a senior member of PPNM, told MPA, “These weren’t just itchy rashes; they were raw, swollen sores. Every time a comrade dies, we are forced to highlight the lack of adequate medical care in prisons. The number of reported deaths has now exceeded 50. As of 2025, the situation has deteriorated further compared to 2024, making prison healthcare worse than ever.”
The refusal to release prisoners’ bodies may be an attempt to suppress news of deaths inside the facility.
“This is likely an effort to conceal the rising death toll in prisons and cover up the crisis,” he added.
Ko Aung Tun was arrested on April 15, 2022, by police forces in Amarapura Township, Mandalay Region. On Sept.6, 2022, he was sentenced to three years in prison under Section 505(a).
