Torture and Ill Treatment

MI personnel in the interrogation center begin the pattern of torture and ill treatment soon after the arrest. Aye Aye Thin describes the experience of a Karen NLD member who was tortured in Bassein prison in 1992.

“-She is an ethnic woman. She is Karen. MI tortured her brutally. As a result, she lost hearing in one ear until she was released. Her physical condition was terrible when she came to us. Her face was very swollen because of the beating she received. -“
(See appendix-3)

Khin San Nwe describes her experience in Insein prison in 1997. She was detained more than once as a result of her political activities.

“- Capt. Ye Kyaw Thu and Capt. Myint Swe of No.7 Military Intelligence also arrested me. Ma Mi, who was together with me in prison, was arrested all together with her entire family; even her 12-year-old daughter was not left. They were beaten brutally in the interrogation center for 25 days.-“
(See appendix-8)

Than Kywel, an NLD member, recalls her experience in Pegu prison. She was imprisoned between 1991 and 1996.

“- The regime declared to the world that they did not torture the political prisoners. But I witnessed once when the prison authorities ordered two female political prisoners to face the wall and beat them severely with a cane. Wasn't that torture? - “
(See appendix-14)

Aye Aye Khaing experienced this abuse firsthand.

“-I was pulled out and was beaten with a cane severely. The cane hit my eyes and tears ran down on my face. A scar was still visible until two years after I was released.-”
(See appendix-1)

Hla Hla Htwe was beaten during interrogations after being arrested a second time.

“-When I was interrogated, I was beaten with rods, and also there were wounds on my legs.-”
(See appendix-5)

Thi Thi Aung was also beaten during interrogations.

“-When I refused to answer they hit me with a book that was about three inches thick, many times. They couldn't get the answer they wanted so they hit me again and again-”
(See appendix-15)

Authorities show little leniency during the interrogation period. Khin San Nwe was assaulted despite being pregnant.

“-They slapped my face hard when I said any words they did not like.-”
(See appendix-8)

Hla Hla Htwe and other prisoners on her ward suffered abuse for trying to fill the dreariness of prison life.

“-We sang political songs together. After the prison bedtime, 9 in the evening, prison authorities came and ordered us to stop. We had to go to bed. The next morning, the female wardens gave all the prisoners in that ward two beatings each.-”
(See appendix-5)

Solitary confinement, especially painful for those serving lengthy sentences, is one form of inhumane torture.

San San Nweh (Tharawaddy), a well-known writer, explains her experience to a radio broadcasting service.

“- I was put alone in a tiny cell for over one year”
(See appendix-13)

Myat Sapal Moe also suffered in isolation.

“-when my friend was released in 2002, I slept alone in that cell block for seven months. I became very isolated and lonely from lack of human contact.-"
(See appendix-11)

Dr. Khin Mar Kyi recalls her six year experience in solitary confinement. During the six year period, she was not allowed to walk outside the cell. One month before her release, she had the chance to walk outside the cell for a while.

“- As I rarely talked to people, I wanted to talk. I kept everything I wanted to say inside my mind. But words wouldn't come out when I wanted to talk.-“
(See appendix-7)

Political prisoners in bad health may be put in solitary confinement. Khin San Nwe explains how two aged political prisoners were put in solitary confinement in Insein prison.

“- Daw Khin Yi was suffering diabetes. She was in solitary confinement and she had many skin lesions. She demanded boiled water to clean them and to take medicine but she got nothing. Daw Sane May was also in solitary confinement, even though she had hypertension and suffered a stroke. -“
(See appendix-8)

San San participated in the 1990 general election and was elected to the Seikkan township constituency, Rangoon Division. Although she was elected, she was not allowed to join the parliament. Like other elected MPs, she was sent to prison.

She recalls her stay in Insein prison.

“- I was placed in an isolated cell. It was intended to
prohibit me from getting any help for food and other necessities. I was treated like a rebel when detained in prison. I was brought out of the cell only to have bath. -“
(See appendix-12)