Myanmar female prisoners face torture and neglect, rights group says
Prison authorities beat some prisoners with sticks, chains, metal pipes, and slingshots, with some subjected to electric shocks and cigarette burns, according to Human Rights Watch.
Myanmar female prisoners endure widespread torture, sexual violence and medical neglect, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch. Since the military coup in February 2021, thousands of detainees have faced chronic ill-treatment, resulting in the deaths of at least 74 political prisoners aged 18 to 35. Over 30,000 political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, remain detained, with women constituting a significant number.
Bryony Lau, Human Rights Watch's Asia deputy director, described a prison system where suffering and neglect are deliberate and routine. Former detainees recounted being beaten with sticks, chains, metal pipes, and slingshots, subjected to electric shocks, cigarette burns, prolonged stress positions, and sexual violence. Prison authorities denied access to necessary medical care, including for pregnant women, who were sometimes forced to give birth inside their cells.
The rights group's report, based on interviews with 17 former female detainees, corroborates a 2025 UN report documenting torture in Myanmar's detention facilities.
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- Myanmar female prisoners face torture and neglect, rights group says japantimes.co.jp
