Thet Win Aung, a 34 year old political prisoner, died in a Mandalay prison on October 16th. His death has met with outrage from activists and governments worldwide.
Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, was appalled by the death of the young activist who was “unjustifiably” imprisoned. He went on to demand accountability: “I call on Burmese authorities to undertake a thorough and independent investigation into Thet Win Aung’s death and to release, immediately and unconditionally, political prisoners in Burma,”
In a similar vein, the United States Department of State released a statement on Wednesday, October 18th voicing their dismay over Thet Win Aung’s death. “This death demonstrates the tragic price the people of Burma are forced to pay for opposing the repressive policies of the regime and standing up for their human and democratic rights,” read the statement.
This commentary from governments follows reports from several activist and human rights organizations. Amnesty International released a statement on October 17th raising concern about the death and calling for an investigation. It further commented that prisoner health in Burma is a systematic concern: “Amnesty International fears for the health of prisoners in Myanmar, and particularly for those debilitated by years’ of imprisonment and ill-treatment, forced to work in poor conditions in labour camps or act as military porters. Prison deaths, including those of political prisoners, are increasing.”
