Myanmar Domestic News Updates – Jun 13, 2025 Evening
๐๐ 1. Military Junta Accused of Weaponizing Prisoner Releases for Political Leverage, Says Myanmar Ambassador to the UN
June 14
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has stated that the military junta—which unlawfully seized power from the civilian government—is using the release of political prisoners as a weapon for political leverage.
He made these remarks during a UN high-level side event titled “Tackling Challenges in Prisons Around the World”, held on June 13 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun emphasized that while Mandela Rule 1 upholds the dignity of all individuals and asserts that all prisoners must be treated in accordance with their inherent human dignity, the Myanmar military regime has been blatantly violating these standards. He explained to the attendees that the junta is using political prisoner releases not as a gesture of justice or reform, but as a tool for manipulation and bargaining.
He further highlighted that Mandela Rule 58, which guarantees the right of prisoners to communicate with their families and the outside world, is routinely violated in Myanmar. Even top political figures such as President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have been subjected to prolonged incommunicado detention. They have not only been denied legal representation but have also been systematically barred from any form of communication with their loved ones, he added.
As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 80th birthday approaches next week, Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun noted that people across Myanmar are organizing various campaigns to commemorate her birthday and are collectively praying for her immediate release and good health.
He also disclosed that over 29,000 individuals, including students, doctors, journalists, elected lawmakers, and even children, have been arbitrarily detained for their political beliefs. Most of them have been imprisoned without due process, he said.
These arbitrary detentions, he explained, are often driven by the regime’s intention to extort money and suppress dissent. Many detainees have never been given a fair trial or any form of legal recourse.
In 2022, the junta executed political prisoners Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw, Ko Kyaw Min Yu (a.k.a. Ko Jimmy), Ko Hla Myo Aung, and Ko Aung Thura Zaw. Then in 2024, the junta carried out further executions, including Ko Kaung Htet and young female political prisoner Ma Chan Myae Thu.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun stressed that the prison system under junta rule is not a function of legal authority, but a tool of authoritarian control. Therefore, he urged the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to demand unrestricted access to Myanmar’s prisons.
He also called on the international community to:
- Impose targeted sanctions on the military regime,
- Push for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners,
- Invest in rehabilitation and recovery programs for survivors of junta oppression.
He concluded by urging the international community to amplify and support all efforts to dismantle the military dictatorship and end the unlawful seizure of power in Myanmar.
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๐๐ 2. CDM School Principal Dies in Obo Prison Due to Medical Neglect
June 14
Daw Myint Myint Than, a middle school principal and participant in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), has died in Mandalay’s Obo Prison due to inadequate medical care, according to a statement released today by the Political Prisoners Network – Myanmar (PPNM).
She had been arrested and unjustly imprisoned by the military junta, sentenced to five years in prison under Section 52(a). Her health deteriorated inside prison due to a lack of proper medical attention, and she reportedly died from a ruptured blood vessel on May 7.
Daw Myint Myint Than was arrested on July 27, 2023, despite being a tuberculosis patient who required regular and intensive medical care. When her condition worsened, her family requested that she be allowed to receive treatment outside the prison. However, prison authorities denied her medical leave, the statement said.
The PPNM explained that strong medications for her TB condition may have contributed to the ruptured vessel, and her death could have been prevented if she had received timely treatment and proper healthcare.
The organization condemned the systemic medical neglect inside Myanmar's prisons, saying that prisoners continue to suffer from treatable diseases due to the regime’s failure to provide adequate healthcare.
According to PPNM’s records, as of June 1, at least 11 political prisoners have died in custody due to avoidable medical neglect.
The above report was compiled and submitted by Radio NUG correspondent Ko Khant.
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