April 21, 2017
Maungdaw- The prison inmate who died in Kyaukphu was arrested for marrying without permission.
Sirajul Haque, 33, died in Kyaukphu after spending a long time in the notorious Buthidaung prison.
Buthidaung prison is the most notorious torture centres of Arakan. It is alleged that Sirajul faced intense torture in Buthidaung prison before he was transferred south to Kyaukphu prison.
Sirajul, an inhabitant of Bassara in Maungdaw South had to flee to Bangladesh after marrying without the permission of village authorities in 2012. Under the laws of the state, Rohingya Muslims must have permission for marriage.
Later he thought it was safe to go back, but was arrested in August 2014 after local collaborators pointed him out to the security forces. He was taken to Buthidaung prison where he was mercilessly tortured, allege local sources in Maungdaw.
Two months back, he wrote a letter to his mother requesting 100,000 kyats but his family could not manage the sum. As a result, Sirajul was further beaten up and did not get treatment in any hospital due to his inability to manage the sum.
He died on Wednesday after suffering from prolonged torture and diseases.
Inmates in Buthidaung prison, including those arrested during the recent drive have had their hands cut off from the wrist.
Many have also said that each morning, they were ‘beaten like snakes’ with rods. Often the ordeal went on for hours.
Others have said that as soon as they were taken to the prison, their body parts were broken, one by one, starting with the fingers.
During the riots of 2012, guards unloaded two to three dead bodies every night, all of them having died from torture.
There was heavy secrecy and security surrounding the funeral of Sirajul.
