A shooting incident was reported inside the prison of Pyapon township under Ayeyarwady region on the evening hours of Sundaythat resulted in injuring 48 prisoners including many imprisoned politicalactivists.

The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM)informed that the soldiers and police personnel opened fire on the prisoners ataround 5 pm on 31 March while they were peacefully protesting inside theprison.

Ko Thaik Tun Oo, a member of the PPNM steeringcommittee, claimed that 48 prisoners were injured as a result of shooting andphysical assaults by jail forces inside the prison. The prison departmentcalled the soldiers and police personnel under the pretext that 'politicalprisoners and other criminals were organizing a prison riot', asserted the PPNMmember.

“Many military vehicles entered Pyapon prison after the gunshots,” said a PPNMstatement, adding that  many imprisoned political activists also sustainedinjuries.

It also stated that on the morning of 1 April, theparcels sent for the prisoners were not accepted by the authority.

Narinjara News tried to contact PPNM and also the Pyapon township prisondepartment for authenticating the information, but failed.

According to the Assistance Association of PoliticalPrisoners (AAPP), no less than 26,462 political prisoners were arrested inMyanmar out of whom at least 1,699 were killed in custody from 1 February 2021(the coup day) till 1 April 2024.