Myanmar female prisoners face torture and neglect, rights group says
Since the military seized power in a February 2021 coup, a protracted civil war has gripped the impoverished Southeast Asian nation.
Myanmar's female political prisoners are facing severe torture, sexual violence, and medical neglect, according to a recent report by Human Rights Watch. The organization highlights the plight of over 6,600 women, including former leader Aung San Suu Kyi and 640 children, among the more than 30,000 political prisoners detained since the military coup in February 2021.
The report, based on interviews with 17 former female detainees, describes a prison system where suffering and neglect are routine, with detainees subjected to beatings, electric shocks, prolonged stress positions, and sexual violence. Prison authorities also deny access to necessary medical care, leading to deaths of at least 74 political prisoners aged between 18 and 35 since the coup, some due to inadequate medical treatment and harsh interrogation.
Brief written by urgent.news from Japan Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
