HRW Details Torture of Myanmar Women Held as Political Prisoners

Human Rights Watch says women detained for political reasons in Myanmar have faced torture, sexual violence, unsanitary prison conditions and dangerous denials of medical care, including prenatal care. Interviews with 17 former prisoners documented beatings, electric shocks, prolonged solitary confinement and other abuse, while some women said they were detained as hostages for relatives or associates. Rights groups estimate that about 6,600 women and 640 children have been detained for political reasons since the military’s 2021 coup; a watchdog reported that 43 female prisoners and their children were among 290 political prisoners who died between 2021 and 2026. Human Rights Watch called for the immediate, unconditional release of all women political prisoners and their children.