The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) recently released a briefing highlighting the plight of women denied liberty (WDLs) in Myanmar since the February 2021 coup, revealing harrowing accounts of abuse and neglect.
According to the ICJ’s findings, as of June 2024, approximately 3,987 women remained in detention, with 1,528 of them facing politically motivated charges fabricated by the authorities. The report, based on extensive interviews with former WDLs, lawyers, and civil society groups, details severe violations including inhumane detention conditions, lack of adequate healthcare, and instances of sexual and gender-based violence.
Among the most distressing revelations were cases where WDLs endured pregnancy losses due to harsh treatment and denial of reproductive healthcare, conditions the ICJ suggests could amount to torture or other forms of ill-treatment. One woman recounted facing sexual harassment during interrogation, with her interrogators allegedly attributing her survival to her pregnancy while subjecting her to intense psychological and physical torment that resulted in the loss of her pregnancy.
The ICJ further highlighted incidents where WDLs experienced miscarriages directly linked to brutal interrogation methods and denial of medical care, including reports from Insein prison where inadequate healthcare allegedly led to pregnancy losses.
Tragically, the lack of access to medical assistance has also led to newborn deaths in detention, exemplified by a case where a newborn died due to delayed hospitalization following severe labor complications. Despite pleas for urgent medical attention, bureaucratic delays, including an ambulance without fuel, exacerbated the situation, ultimately resulting in the loss of the baby.
In response to these grave violations, the ICJ has called for thorough and impartial investigations into allegations of torture and ill-treatment by detention authorities. They have urged Myanmar’s military junta to ensure perpetrators are held accountable through fair trials and have appealed to UN member states to exercise universal jurisdiction over individuals implicated in serious human rights abuses against WDLs.
The ICJ’s report underscores the urgent need for international attention and intervention to address the systematic abuses faced by women detainees in Myanmar, advocating for justice and protection of their fundamental rights amid ongoing political turmoil.
