Chaung-U protest leader Man Zar Myay Mon hospitalised in prison

Man Zar Myay Mon, a protest leader from Sagaing Region’s Chaung-U Township currently serving a long prison sentence in Magway Prison, is in deteriorating health, according to sources close to his family. The 33-year-old activist has been suffering from a lung infection since April 12 and is currently receiving treatment at the prison’s hospital, the sources said, adding that his condition may also involve tuberculosis and has not improved despite medical care. He was first targeted with an arrest warrant in April 2021 and was shot and detained on June 8 of that year amid a broader crackdown on anti-coup protesters. Authorities later sentenced him to a total of 26 years in prison on various charges, including five counts of incitement under Section 505a of the Penal Code, 11 years under counterterrorism provisions, and five years for possession of explosives. In November 2025, his sentence was reduced by 10 years following an amnesty tied to Section 505 cases, leaving him with a remaining term of 16 years. However, no reductions were applied to other charges. Family members are allowed to visit him once a month. It remains unclear whether additional sentence reductions announced during recent national amnesties have been applied to his case. Man Zar Myay Mon was previously active in the 2014 Letpadan student protests and attempted to run as a candidate for the National League for Democracy in the 2020 general election. He also worked as a freelance journalist and participated in civil society initiatives focused on transparency and accountability. Since the military seized power in February 2021, junta authorities have widely used Section 505 and counterterrorism laws to detain protesters, journalists, and individuals accused of supporting resistance movements. Although the military has periodically announced mass amnesties, rights groups say few political prisoners have been released. The Political Prisoners Network Myanmar reported that of more than 4,000 prisoners released last month during the Myanmar New Year, fewer than 300 were political detainees. A separate amnesty on Thursday reportedly included no political prisoners. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, nearly 31,000 people have been arrested since the coup, of whom more than 22,000 remain behind bars. The group notes that the actual figures are likely higher due to limited access to information. Chaung-U Township, where Man Zar Myay Mon is from, remains a stronghold of resistance forces opposing military rule.

Chaung-U protest leader Man Zar Myay Mon hospitalised in prison

The prominent activist has been suffering from a lung infection since April 12, but sources say he isn’t responding to treatment

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