SHAN STATE – The people detained at the central police station in Kyaukme, northern Shan State were moved to the junta council’s Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 502 and held hostage, reported a local media.
The junta council has been moving the detainees to the battalion and holding them hostage since November 29 and a source described the act as a lawless exploit of the present political state.
The detainees have yet to face charges in court and when their warrant period expires, the officer in charge of the detainees would extend it by himself.
“The warrant needs to be extended at court every 15 days. Now, they don’t even bother to visit the court and just extend it on their own. The detainees are being held hostage to be used as human shields when their base is attacked,” shared a source with knowledge of the situation.
It is also said that the detainees held at LIB 502 were denied all rights.
“It is unclear if the warrant is legal or not. They are being held without access to any of their rights. No one knows which department is to be blamed if the detainees are harmed in the attack on the battalion. None of the detainees have been accused of a death sentence worthy charges either,” continued the above source.
Although the detainees held at LIB 502 are provided two meals at 12 p.m. and 5 p.m., the meals are not nutritious nor filling and they are also facing issues of dirty drinking water, being handcuffed when using the toilet and not allowed to personal hygiene.