Rangoon bomb suspect put in solitary

By Khin Hnin Htet

The man suspected by police to be behind the Rangoon bombings in April that killed nine has been placed in solitary confinement in Insein prison.

Phyo Wei Aung’s lawyer, Kyaw Ho, told DVB that his client has been barred from communicating with other inmates and is being denied his rights as a prisoner.

“[Phyo Wei Aung] said that he has been in the prison for more than two months already but is still being denied the rights granted to other inmates, such as playing football or chinlone [ball sport],” said Kyaw Ho.

“He was kept alone and not allowed to communicate with anyone, which is damaging his mental health. He asked me to submit an official request to the prison authorities to give him equal rights.”

Kyaw Ho continues to be deined access to a copy of the case file, rendering his own analysis of the incident and surrounding issues difficult to carry out.

“I still don’t know what is in the case file. I understood that he was arrested under accusations of the bombing but among the charges pressed on him are the Unlawful Association Act and the Immigration Act [for illegal border crossing]. I can only find out the real details when I look at the case file.”

Phyo Wei Aung is set to appear on court on 14 July. He is accused of being behind three separate attacks on the X20 pavilion in Rangoon on 15 April, as revellers celebrated the annual water festival. Nine people were killed and dozens injured. He was arrested by police on 23 April.

Police said that three grenades had been thrown into the crowds during the water festival. Another device, made with a beer can filled with explosive powder and attached by detonation wire to a mobile telephone, failed to explode.

A Rangoon-based graphic designer and his son were arrested after taking photos of the aftermath of the bombing, and are still being held.

Reference:

This is from DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma) by the author Khin Hnin Htet.

My opinion:

It is totally unfair for him to be barred from communicating with other prisoners. But, that's how the political authorities brutalize the civilians mentally and physically.