16 March 2026 – Political Prisoners Network-Myanmar (PPNM) has confirmed the passing of political prisoner Mr. Win Myint Soe, aged 54, who had been detained for involvement in anti-military dictatorship movements following the military coup.
He died on 13 March due to a severe illness, having been denied adequate medical care within the prison.
Mr. Win Myint Soe was arrested on 15 August 2021, and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment under sections 505-A and 302(a). While serving his sentence in Kalay Prison, he began suffering severely from “liver cirrhosis and ascites” starting in January 2025.
Due to his deteriorating condition, he was transferred to Kalay General Hospital for treatment in February 2026. However, on the very night he was discharged and returned to the prison, he experienced acute shortness of breath, and his condition rapidly worsened. He was subsequently readmitted to the hospital, where he passed away at 12:15 pm on 13 March 2026, while receiving treatment in the hospital’s prison ward.
Prison authorities refused to release Mr. Win Myint Soe’s body to his family, stating: “The police will be coming for a death inquiry, so the body cannot be returned. If you want the body, you must go to court.” This explanation overruled the family’s wishes.
PPNM has ascertained that his cremation was carried out today (15 March) at Kanpale Cemetery in Kalay township, solely under the arrangement of the authorities.
“Immediately after being discharged from the hospital and returned to the prison, he started struggling to breathe. The inadequate medical treatment within the prison and the lack of humanitarian consideration led to the loss of a valuable life,” a source close to Kalay Prison told PPNM regarding the incident.
“The death of Mr. Win Myint Soe is a direct consequence of a blatant human rights violation and the denial of the right to medical treatment. PPNM asserts that the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) and prison authorities are responsible for the inhumane acts within the prison,” PPNM released in a statement. – Reporting by Daniel
