Another political prisoner dies at Mandalay’s Obo Prison
A total of 56 political prisoners have died at Obo Prison due to inadequate healthcare since January, a human rights group calling itself Myanmar Prison Witness announced on Friday. It also accused the regime of using “psychological torture” on jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi for barring her from receiving visitors, or communicating with family members, in a separate statement dated June 26.
The group added that Aung San Suu Kyi suffers from toothaches, heart-related ailments, and “age-related health problems,” but has not received adequate medical care, except for regime-appointed doctors. Aung San Suu Kyi has been held in detention in Naypyidaw since the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021 and is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence. She has been cut off from her legal team since 2022.
The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM) reported that Aung Kyaw Oo, the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) party member of parliament, and speaker, for Mandalay Region died at Obo Prison on June 27. This makes him the 56th political prisoner to pass away this year. The Myanmar Prison Witness claimed that Obo Prison now has the highest death toll of political prisoners in Burma so far this year.
Min Aung Hlaing returns after visits to Belarus and Russia
Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Kyu Kyu Hla left Buryatia, a Russian republic located in eastern Siberia, to return to Burma on Sunday. He arrived in the capital Ulan-Ude on Saturday after attending the 4th Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) forum in Minsk, Belarus, June 26–27. This was Min Aung Hlaing’s third visit to Buryatia.
Regime media reported that Burma and Buryatia are cooperating in the fields of science, technology and “various other sectors.” Min Aung Hlaing attended a dinner with Alexey Sambuevich Tsydenov, the head of the Republic of Buryatia, and reportedly visited the Ulan-Ude LVRZ Railway Locomotive and Carriage Repair Factory on Sunday before his departure.
Min Aung Hlaing met with Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on June 27 where they discussed “possible avenues for cooperation.” During his previous visit to Belarus in March, Min Aung Hlaing announced that his regime would hold elections by December. At regime “peace talks” in Naypyidaw on June 25, he promised to re-establish “multi-party democracy”.
Justice for Myanmar accuses Minsk of arming Naypyidaw
Justice for Myanmar on Saturday accused Belarus of supplying the regime in Naypyidaw with a custom-built air defence command system and the training of military personnel connected to the arms industry at Belarusian universities. This followed regime leader Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to the 4th EAEU forum in Minsk, where he visited a supplier of military equipment on June 27.
“Sanctions on Belarus – including on State universities hosting Myanmar military personnel – are crucial, and efforts should be taken to ensure that any shipments of arms from Belarus to Myanmar are disrupted,” said Yadanar Maung, the Justice for Myanmar spokesperson, in a press release on June 28 which cited leaked letters between high-ranking defence officials of the two countries in 2020 and 2022.
Justice for Myanmar calls for targeted sanctions against brokers involved in the arms trade with Belarus, including Burma’s Dynasty Group, and against Belarusian universities training Myanmar military personnel. Min Aung Hlaing said that his regime would enhance cooperation with EAEU members, which include Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. Read more about his visit to Minsk June 26-27.
News by Region
CHINLAND—Nearly 15 regime troops and two members of the resistance were killed during fighting between the Chin National Army (CNA) and regime forces in Mwapi village of Tedim Township June 25-28. Tedim is located 120 miles (193 km) north of the state capital Hakha.
A CNA information officer told DVB that resistance forces seized control of three military sentry outposts in Mwapi village, which is located along the road that connects Tedim to Falam Township. The road is controlled by the resistance but Tedim is under regime control, as well as Hakha.
KACHIN—The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) ordered all karaoke bars, or KTVs, to be shut down in an effort to stop drug use and distribution in areas under its control. Hpakant was the first town to implement the order with remaining towns to follow in July.
The KIO source did not clarify how long the shutdown would be. Live music venues were shut down in the KIO headquarters of Laiza last month. Fourteen out of 18 towns in Kachin, as well as Mabein in northern Shan State, has come under KIO control since March 2024.
SAGAING—Four civilians were killed and three others were injured during a military paramotor strike near the morning market in Thayatkai village of Salingyi Township on Saturday. Salingyi is located 26 miles (41 km) south of the region’s capital Monywa.
“Three civilians were killed instantly and another one died on the way to the hospital,” a Salingyi resident told DVB on the condition of anonymity. Five homes were destroyed by paramotors, and a military vessel, in two other nearby villages. No fighting was reported in the area.
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