Regime transfers about 400 prisoners from Sittwe to Pathein

By Admin 09 Oct 2024

DMG Newsroom
9 October 2024, Sittwe

Hundreds of political prisoners from Sittwe Prison in the Arakan State capital were transferred to Pathein Prison in Ayeyarwady Region on Tuesday night.

About 400 prisoners who were jailed on political and drug charges were transferred to Pathein from Sittwe by ship via the BXT port.

“Prisoners were sent to the BXT port by cargo trucks at around 8 p.m. on October 8. The cargo trucks carrying prisoners were escorted by police cars,” said a resident of Sittwe.

Some 200 Byaing Phyu villagers who were sentenced to three years in prison under Section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act and Section 188 of the Code of Criminal Procedure were among the prisoners transferred to Pathein from Sittwe Prison.

Family members of the inmates are worried about the junta’s transfer of prisoners to Pathein from Sittwe Prison.

“The prisoners were transferred to Pathein from Sittwe Prison at night. We are worried that the prisoners will face difficulties there [in Pathein]. We can’t make prison visits to them,” said the wife of a political prisoner.

Residents of Sittwe believe that the regime is relocating the prisoners in preparation for an attack by the Arakkha Army (AA) on the Arakan State capital.

“The regime has tightened security in Sittwe and transferred prisoners to mainland Myanmar. We are worried about what will happen in Sittwe,” said a local woman in Sittwe.

More than 90 political prisoners were transferred to Yangon from Sittwe Prison by a military Y-8 transport aircraft on June 4. There are at least 500 inmates who were jailed on political charges in Sittwe Prison.