New Pathein Prison 50% Complete, Sparking Fears of More Crackdown on Political Prisoners

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Construction of a new prison in Pathein has been underway since 2023, with satellite images showing it already more than 50 percent complete. The facility is located between Nyaung Waing Village in Shwe Myin Tin Village Tract and Kanyin Ni Kone Village in Zin Pyun Kone Village Tract, well away from the city center—fueling concerns that it could be used to further detain and silence political prisoners.

The new prison is located about eight miles from the existing Pathein Prison. The site is slightly larger than the old facility, covering more than 15 acres compared to the previous 12. The entire area is surrounded by military forces.

To the south of the new prison lies the 11th Infantry Battalion of the 66th Division. To the east is the 6th Basic Military Training Corps. To the north are the Myawaddy Relay Station, its Guard Outpost, and the 9th Workshop and Communications Corps. The land surrounding the new prison is military-owned and borders the Southwestern Military Command.

Reasons for Building the New Priso

Two primary reasons have been identified for the construction of the new prison.

 

First, the current prison is located in the heart of Pathein, where the land value is very high. Since the government of former President U Thein Aung, only the land occupied by the prison has been sold. At current market rates, the land around the old prison is valued at 25,000 to 40,000 kyats per square foot.

 

Second, because the old prison is situated in a densely populated residential area, the military junta seeks to prevent the spread of information to the nearby public. Consequently, they decided to relocate the prison to a remote area surrounded by military installations, away from residential villages, to better control and suppress any potential information leaks.

How Prison Land Has Changed After Its Sale

 

Concerns About Political Prisoners

The sale of the current prison site and the construction of a new prison following the coup have raised fears that political prisoners may face even harsher conditions. After the coup, a riot broke out at Pathein Prison in response to the junta’s treatment of political prisoners, resulting in the death of one inmate.

On January 5, 2023, eight prisoners protested against the conditions of a CDM teacher who had been sentenced to death. The following day, a riot erupted between the prisoners and prison staff. During the violence, authorities fired lethal weapons and sound bombs, and organized attacks on the prisoners. As a result, 33-year-old political prisoner Wai Yan Phyo was killed and more than 60 others were injured. During and after the incident, political prisoners were reportedly beaten and tortured, and the cries of prisoners could be heard in nearby neighborhoods.

Satellite imagery indicates that construction of the new Pathein Prison accelerated soon after the incident, further fueling concerns about the junta’s intentions for the treatment of political prisoners.

Satellite images show the rapid construction of the new prison

Worsening Human Rights Abuses in Prisons

Human rights abuses in prisons have worsened significantly since the military coup. According to the Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM), inspections at Pathein Prison have become stricter as conflict in the Ayeyarwady Region has intensified. Food rations for prisoners have been reduced due to budget constraints, and the meals served are sometimes spoiled by the high daytime temperatures. PPNM reported that prisoners were served stale river catfish in the evenings four days a week, instead of chicken or eggs. Between January 2023 and April 2025, at least 51 political prisoners died due to inadequate healthcare, including those in Pathein Prison. Additionally, there have been seven prison protests in seven prisons, including Pathein, since the coup, resulting in the deaths of 15 prisoners in brutal crackdowns, according to PPNM.

 

Risks of Moving to a New Prison

The new Pathein Prison, currently under construction, is situated far from residential villages and is surrounded by military units, making it much harder to investigate conditions inside once prisoners are moved there. The heavy military presence in the area could also lead to increased military influence over the prison. Building and relocating the prison to a remote military-controlled area while political prisoners are already facing severe torture raises serious concerns for the safety and treatment of these prisoners.

 

How Would the New Pathein Prison Be Used?

In towns captured by revolutionary forces, prisons have been opened and political prisoners released. As revolutionary offensives continue to escalate, the military council is expected to use the new Pathein Prison to securely detain important political prisoners, away from contested areas. Additionally, the March 28 earthquake devastated most of the military council’s buildings in the Nay Pyi Taw Council area. While the regime has not disclosed the extent of damage to the Nay Pyi Taw Prison, where State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is held, it is unlikely that the military council built the new Pathein Prison with good intentions. The relocation of the prison to a military-dominated area further underscores these concerns.