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RAKHINE STATE – Arakan Army (AA) issued a statement saying that while AA was capturing Buthidaung town, they (AA) rescued 98 prisoners including 31 political prisoners and provided humanitarian aid.
AA managed to capture all of the junta council’s battalions and military bases including the Buthidaung tactical headquarter in Buthidaung town, on May 18. During the town capturing battle, AA could rescue the political prisoners who were transferred from the Buthidaung prison to the no. 3 Border Guard Police.
It was known that AA helped 31 political prisoners who were unjustly imprisoned by the junta council, to contact their family members. On May 26, AA also provided some financial support to go back to their family members safely.
The prisoners who were released from the prison have already gone back to their homes and AA continues providing assistance.
It was stated in the statement that United League of Arakan (ULA)/ Arakan Army (AA) humanely provide aid to the prisoners of war in accordance with the international law of armed conflict. Moreover, during the battles, they (AA) also rescued the prisoners who were detained in the junta council’s prisons and sent the prisoners to safety.
Even though the junta council declared amnesty for some of the prisoners and transferred some of the prisoners from Buthidaung prison to safety since before the battles in Buthidaung town, they left out the political prisoners. When the battles intensified in Buthidaung town, the junta council ignored the political prisoners instead of sending them (the prisoners) to safety.
AA issued that it clearly showed that the junta council oppress the political prisoners in RAKHINE state and violating the human rights in RAKHINE state by underlying the ethnic hatred.
Among 98 prisoners who were trapped in the prison, more than 31 out of 98 prisoners are political prisoners. 63 prisoners are the prisoners who were sentenced to the prison under murder, rape, theft, car accident, wood smuggling, human trafficking, cases which relevant to the Ministry of Immigration and Population, accepting thieves and other cases. The responsible person of AA under police department and administrative department collected and verified the data and according to the international humanitarian standards, provided medication and foods which are urgently needed.
It is issued that AA will re-analysis the crimes and the sentences of the prisoners who were rescued by AA and will continue taking actions.