Eight residents of Kyaikto Township, Mon State, who were arrested on June 13 for allegedly supporting the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), remain detained.
The individuals are being held at the Kyaikto police station and have been taken for interrogation by military junta intelligence, according to a source close to their guardians.
The source also noted that the detainees’ guardians have not been allowed to meet or contact them.
“Parents have tried to negotiate, but they were quickly turned away without any explanation. Families have tried various means to secure their release, but nothing has worked,” the source said.
Among the detainees, four are members of the Kaungsnain Social Assistance Group, and one is a woman.
Since the military coup, most political prisoners have been detained under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code. However, recent arrests have increasingly been made under anti-terrorism laws, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
According to the AAPP spokesperson U Aung Myo Kyaw, the number of political prisoners released after being detained is very low.
“The number of people released after being detained is extremely low. Some are released under amnesty or after serving their sentences, but the percentage is minimal. The military wants to keep anyone opposing their regime in prison. There was never any plan to release those they arrested,” he said.
Political prisoners from Mon and Karen States are primarily held at Kyaikmaraw Prison, with some also detained in Taungkalay, Mawlamyine, and Thaton prisons.
According to AAPP, there are currently 26,889 people detained by the military junta across Myanmar, including 600 political prisoners from Mon State.
