Family members of three detained activists say they have been denied access to the land rights protestors and are worried about their health given that it is nearly a week since they declared they were starting a hunger strike.

Myint Myint Aye, Khin Mi Mi Khine and Thant Zin Htet went on hunger strike on 13 December, protesting against their detention and demanding a verdict on the charges levelled against them (Section-6 of the 1988 Law Relating to Forming of Organisations). The group has been in Paungde Prison for about six months following their arrest in June for assisting farmers in Pegu’s Nattalin township protesting against land confiscation.

Toe Lay, the younger brother of Myint Myint Aye, said that their family had heard a rumour that she was malnourished, but that prison authorities hung up on them when they phoned to enquire as to her condition.

“We called Paungde Prison two days ago – when we said we are Myint Myint Aye’s family, the person who picked up the phone said he was not allowed to answer and hung up on us,” said Toe Lay.

“We were told by some colleagues in Nattalin and Paungde that she [Myint Myint Aye] was in poor health and had been banned from receiving family visits,” he said.

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