Around 500 prisoners, including 100 political prisoners, abruptly transferred in shackles from Taungoo to Tharrawaddy prison

Around 500 prisoners, including 100 male political prisoners, were suddenly transferred from Taungoo Prison in Bago Region to Tharrawaddy Prison on the morning of 23 July, according to the Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM). Prison authorities called out the names of the transferees a day in advance and placed them in shackles before transporting them to Tharrawaddy Prison in 12-wheel trucks at around 3:30 am 23 July. “During the transfer, each prisoner was allowed to carry only three blankets and one set of clothes. Prison authorities confiscated all remaining personal belongings and parcel deliveries,” the PPNM statement detailed. “Prison transfers are never announced in advance. We ourselves experienced being woken up in the early morning and taken away abruptly with strict limitations on what belongings we could carry. The prisoners had already settled in at Taungoo Prison. Their families could easily send food or visit them there. This sudden transfer will cause financial and travel hardships for their families,” said Yaung Ni Lin, PPNM information officer. Prisoners whose families live far from Tharrawaddy Prison are expected to face difficulties with prison visits and food deliveries. The PPNM official added that because prisoners were allowed to bring only minimal clothing during the rainy season, they risk developing skin infections and illness from damp clothing. PPNM pointed out that shackling, confiscating personal property, and conducting sudden early-morning transfers represent systematic physical and psychological torture against prisoners. Furthermore, PPNM announced that it will continue to monitor and expose such human rights violations and abuses against political prisoners and other inmates. According to data from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) updated on 22 July, a total of 31,551 individuals classed as political prisoners have been arrested since the February 2021 military coup, with 22,506 still currently behind bars.