Concern raised for health of Burma’s political prisoners

Posted on May 12, 2009
Filed Under Burma news | Comments Off

Following recent international concern for the health of Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi comes news that many of Burma’s 2,099 other political prisoners are also in poor health.
Reports emerged over the weekend that Suu Kyi’s health was deteriorating and that her doctor had been arrested.
Hoever, Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy now says her health has improved after a visit from a doctor on Monday.
Unfortuately, a new reports from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPPB) claims at least 217 political prisoners are in poor health, with 19 of them requiring urgent medical treatment.
The report, Burma’s prisons and labour camps: Silent killing fields, says political prisoners are being denied adequate healthcare.
Since October, the ruling junta has been stamping out dissent by sentencing activists and critics to lengthy prison sentences of up to 104 years.
The junta has also transferred many political prisoners to remote prisons in rural areas, with inadequate medical facilities.
AAPB joint-secretary Bo Kyi said, “Leading activists have been transferred to the most remote prisons, where there are no prison doctors, and they are more likely to contract diseases like malaria and tuberculosis.”
He called this a new cruel and inhumane strategy by the regime.
According to Amnesty International, there are 2,100 political prisoners in Burma.

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