Veteran pro-democracy activist Ko Jimmy has been transferred from a military hospital in Yangon where he was receiving treatment for injuries sustained during his recent arrest, according to a source close to the hospital.
“He was not at the hospital this morning. He was put in a VIP room before they took him away last night, and we haven’t had any information about him since then,” the source told Myanmar Now on Wednesday.
Ko Jimmy, whose real name is Kyaw Min Yu, was arrested last Saturday during a raid on a housing complex in North Dagon Township. He had been wanted by the regime since February.
While trying to escape, Ko Jimmy injured himself when he fell from a fence lined with barbed wire and another man who was also running from the junta’s forces fell on top of him, according to his wife, Nilar Thein.
Further injuries were likely inflicted after he was taken into custody, she added.
Following his arrest, Ko Jimmy was admitted to the Defence Services General Hospital in Mingaladon Township, where he was receiving treatment in an intensive care unit until his transfer on Tuesday night.
The current whereabouts of the well-known activist and author, who had been in hiding since a warrant for his arrest was issued on February 13, is unknown.
Ko Jimmy was first imprisoned in 1988 for his role in the pro-democracy uprising of that year. He was released in 1996, but later spent another five years behind bars for taking part in the 2007 Saffron Revolution.
The military council has not released any statement regarding his arrest and regime information officers have been unavailable for comment.