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| A view of the gate of Nay Pyi Taw prison seen on February 15, 2021 |
Due to the covid-19 epidemic, the restrictions were reduced in many places, but the military council continued to close the access to prison.
However, Ko Thai Tun Oo, a member of the Steering Committee of the Political Prisoners Network of Myanmar, told RFA that the communities close to the prisons know that some prisons will be allowed to visit from October 24.
"Although it has not been officially notified, the military council will probably announce it on the 23rd or 24th. This news is certain. Since the prison authorities have been making preparations in the prison, and the prison authorities have been contacting and notifying the families of the prisoners, I am sure that many prisons will be allowed to receive official letters of entry in this month."
A family member of the prisoner also said that he was initially told that he would be allowed to see the prison letter once a month.
"In addition to not giving the full rights that each prisoner deserves, it is now announced that the limited and very strict rules and regulations are causing further emotional harm to family members."
A family member of a political prisoner who is incarcerated in Tharayawati Prison said that they have not seen him for three years, so they want to see him living well.
"He said he would visit us on the 24th, and it would be best if we could visit him. Since we haven't seen him for three years, as a family, we have to actually see that he is healthy. We don't know if he is healthy or not. We don't know if he is healthy or not. For us, if we have the opportunity to see him, it is a gift from God."
During the interrogation, the military council was deaf because of the torture of the political prisoners. The family members want to be allowed to visit the prison to find out about his health, as he suffered serious injuries, including mutilation.
In order to be allowed to see the prison letter, household list and police certificate. The Department of Prisons has set restrictions such as a letter of proof from the ward and a proof of having been vaccinated twice against the virus.
In the current situation, there are no governors in the villages that are not affected by the military council. Some family members of political prisoners say that these restrictions make it difficult for them to visit prisons because they are afraid to go to police stations.
Ko Min Lwin Oo, a member of the strike committee of Dawei District, whose father was imprisoned, told RFA that it is not comfortable in places where there is no governor.
"If we talk about all the regions, this issue is not convenient enough. There are many villages without a governor. Another thing is that it is difficult for our people to get a letter of support from the governor. They don't dare to go to the police station. For example, if a family member is arrested, other family members don't dare to go to the police station. Generally speaking, these restrictions make it difficult during the current situation."
In this regard, RFA contacted U Naing Win, the spokesperson of the Department of Prisons, by telephone, but there was no response.
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| On April 17, 2022, in front of Yangon's Insein Prison, family members of inmates wait to visit. |
U Tun Kyi, a group of former political prisoners, said that instead of giving the prisoners full rights, they do so with limitations, so there is no reason to welcome them.
"There is nothing to welcome about this opening. There is nothing to support. All of this is not fully given the rights that each prisoner deserves, but now announced, but with limits and very strict rules, and I see family members being further psychologically harmed."
Since August last year, prisons across the country have been reduced and limited, and the families of political prisoners have been demanding that prison visits be increased as well as the number of prison materials.
In a statement issued on October 20, 2023 by the Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners (AAPP), there are more than 25,000 civilians arrested nationwide after the military coup. Of these, more than seven hundred and eight hundred were sentenced to prison terms for political cases.
