Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

April 21, 2025

Myanmar: a total 8,873 political prisoners released since 2021 coup; two killed in "confrontation" at Magway Prison

News

Crises Asia Violence Myanmar (Burma)

At least two political prisoners were killed and five were injured by prison staff when they opened fire during a “confrontation” inside Magway Prison in Magway Region on April 13, the Political Prisoners Network of Myanmar (PPNM) told DVB.

June 18, 2024

Myanmar: five female political prisoners hospitalized in brutal assault by prison officers

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Women Asia Violence Myanmar (Burma)

At least five female inmates have been hospitalized and several dozen injured after officers at the junta’s infamous Daik-U Prison in Bago Region severely beat around 80 women political prisoners for protesting on Saturday.

May 29, 2024

Myanmar: political prisoners in Myitkyina get an extra three and a half years behind bars for prison riot

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Asia Justice Material conditions Protest Violence Myanmar (Burma)

The 13 prisoners have been held in solitary confinement since they were targeted in a crackdown on unrest more than a month ago.

April 3, 2024

Myanmar: after a year of silence, 7 political prisoners confirmed killed in Insein prison

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Asia Violence Social ties Myanmar (Burma)

Authorities at Myanmar’s notorious Insein prison shot seven political prisoners dead under murky circumstances on Valentine’s Day last year, sources with ties to the victims’ families and prisoner watchdog groups told RFA Burmese on Wednesday.

January 31, 2024

Myanmar: huge and secretive prison expansion revealed by satellite images

News

Asia Facilities Myanmar (Burma)

The country has undertaken a vast and secretive prison-building programme, according to new satellite analysis, prompting fears it has been carried out to jail thousands of pro-democracy protesters.

July 24, 2023

Myanmar: Junta condemned for using “prison transfers” as a pretext for murder

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Asia Justice Torture Myanmar (Burma)

February 8, 2023

Myanmar: Activists fight on in belly of the beast

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Asia Protest Myanmar (Burma)

Political prisoners have continued to express dissent from inside, often with violent consequences, as tensions simmer with prison officials.

September 20, 2022

Myanmar: death of activists in custody

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Asia Torture Myanmar (Burma)

Six cases highlight alleged torture, junta’s failure to investigate

June 29, 2022

Myanmar's junta rejects Red Cross request to resume prison visits

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Asia Material conditions Myanmar (Burma)

Myanmar’s military regime has rejected the request of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to resume its prison visits and other humanitarian activities and allow family visits.

June 13, 2022

Myanmar: prison inmates tortured and starved in Myanmar's Hpa-an

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Overcrowding Violence Myanmar (Burma)

Authorities punished at least 60 prisoners, including children, after a jailbreak.

November 22, 2021

Myanmar: In Myanmar’s Insein Prison, inmates shared bath water and were denied medical care

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Coronavirus Asia Health Material conditions Myanmar (Burma)

Former detainee says dismal conditions led to rare protest by prisoners and lingering trauma after release.

November 19, 2021

Myanmar : Insein, le visage carcéral de la junte birmane

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Asia Foreign prisoners Material conditions Overcrowding Myanmar (Burma)

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

October 26, 2021

Myanmar: 120 political prisoners released from Dawei Prison

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Asia Justice Myanmar (Burma)

A member of the Dawei District Strike Committee told Mizzima that about 120 detainees arrested by the military council, including Ko Kyaw Htwe, Dawei District Strike Committee member, have been released from Dawei Prison.

July 22, 2021

Myanmar : les tribunaux de la junte ont prononcé 65 condamnations à mort

News

Women Asia Minors Protest Death penalty Torture Myanmar (Burma)

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

July 21, 2021

Myanmar: don’t let the junta normalize cruelty

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Pre-trial detention Asia Torture Violence Myanmar (Burma)

Torture – and the fear that it engenders – has been central to the military junta’s efforts to quell popular resistance.

July 13, 2021

Myanmar: junta suspends trials inside Insein prison due to COVID-19

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Coronavirus Pre-trial detention Asia Access to legal rights Justice Myanmar (Burma)

The military regime has suspended trials inside Insein Prison in Yangon due to rising COVID-19 infections in the commercial capital, according to defense lawyers.

June 17, 2021

Myanmar: student activists, journalists being mistreated in Insein prison, say family members

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Pre-trial detention Asia Material conditions Protest Torture Myanmar (Burma)

Relatives of seven young detainees say they are at risk since being separated and placed in cells with hardened criminals.

June 10, 2021

Myanmar : Aung San Suu Kyi inculpée pour corruption

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Pre-trial detention Asia Protest Myanmar (Burma)

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

June 10, 2021

Myanmar: condenan a dos años de prisión a uno de los líderes de la Liga nacional para la democracia de Suu Kyi

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Asia Justice Protest Myanmar (Burma)

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

February 3, 2021

Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi y otras personas, detenidas en el golpe militar en curso

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Pre-trial detention Asia Access to legal rights Violence Myanmar (Burma)

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

September 12, 2019

Myanmar : notorious prison presents a friendlier face to inmates

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Asia Myanmar (Burma)

Mention Insein Prison and what comes to mind are images of abused inmates, unbridled corruption and sub-human conditions. Myanmar’s main penitentiary, located on the outskirts of Yangon, gained notoriety during five decades of military rule as a place where political dissidents were incarcerated an…

April 24, 2019

Myanmar: prison strikes and riot following ‘unfair’ presidential pardon

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Asia Myanmar (Burma)

Inmates at Shwebo Prison and Mopalin Labor Camp have staged demonstrations and called for a review after they were excluded from this year’s presidential pardons. The demonstrations were mainly staged by those serving their time under articles 15 and 16 of the 1993 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic S…

September 17, 2018

Birmanie : une quarantaine de détenus s'évadent en camion poubelle

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Asia Myanmar (Burma)

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

April 10, 2018

Myanmar: they documented a massacre. Their prize is a prison cell.

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Asia Myanmar (Burma)

The two journalists, who were investigating a massacre of 10 Muslim Rohingya men in Rakhine State, face up to 14 years in prison under the British colonial-era secrets act.