Aug 13, 2008 (DVB), About 15 monks and nuns imprisoned in Insein in connection with last September's public demonstrations have had family visits suspended, according to a family member of a political inmate in the prison.

The monks and nuns, from North Okkalapa’s Thitsa Tharaphu monastery, were sentenced to prison terms after last year’s Saffron Revolution on charges of bringing the Sasana into disrepute.

"They are malnourished due to poor-quality and insufficient food in the prison , also, they are not allowed to have visitors but there is no one to come and visit them anyway," the family member said.

"About five monks are just lying on the floor as they have become too weak."

One of the monks, abbot U Arnanda, is 70 years old, and the family member said there were also some elderly nuns in the group.

Insein prison authorities were unavailable for comment today.

Reporting by Naw Say Phaw