Family of women’s activist on trial for incitement seeks hospitalisation for her as health falters

By Admin 25 Sep 2023

DMG Newsroom
25 September 2023, Sittwe

Family members of Daw Nyo Aye of the Rakhine Women’s Network (RWN), who was arrested last month and charged with incitement under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, are seeking medical treatment for her at Sittwe General Hospital due to her ailing health condition.

Daw Nyo Aye was unable to attend a court hearing on Monday due to her poor health and the next hearing has been scheduled for September 29, said Ma Saw Mya Thandar, the daughter of Daw Nyo Aye.
 
“My mom needs to be treated outside [of Sittwe Prison] because the medicine in the prison is not comprehensive. If my mom does not receive medical treatment, her health condition may worsen,” Ma Saw Mya Thandar added.

Daw Nyo Aye was admitted to Sittwe Hospital following a court hearing on September 18. According to the resulting medical examination, she suffers from high blood pressure and fatty liver disease.

Lawyers note that because a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court, he or she has the right to see his or her family members in addition to receiving needed medical treatment.

“When she is in bad health, she should be allowed to stay in the hospital and receive medical treatment. Also, since she is old, her health may deteriorate if she does not receive medical treatment,” said a lawyer in Sittwe.

The prison manual stipulates that every inmate has the right to receive appropriate healthcare while incarcerated, and is entitled to a prison visit once a week.

Daw Nyo Aye is a prominent and active advocate for women’s issues in Arakan State.

She was taken from her home by police on August 15 for questioning over an event in Sittwe held two days earlier to celebrate the anniversary of “rice crisis day” in Arakan State. Daw Nyo Aye attended the event, organised by the Arakan Students Union. The head of the No. 1 police station in Sittwe subsequently filed a lawsuit against her under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code.

August 13 marked the 56th anniversary of “rice crisis day” in Arakan State, a date of tragic brutality in 1967, under the rule of then dictator General Ne Win and his Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP).