Ko Pyae Sone Oo, a political prisoner on death row, passed away in Yangon’s Insein Prison on 30 November due to kidney disease, reportedly exacerbated by inadequate medical treatment. He was 34 years old.

According to a close relative, Pyae Sone Oo, also known as Pa Pa, died around 6:30 pm. His body was buried at Hteinpin Cemetery on 2 December.

A former private from the Thanlyin Navy Base, he joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) after the 2021 military coup and was arrested on 27 August 2022.

The junta charged him under Sections 37 and 32 of the Defence Services Act for desertion, sentencing him to death on 12 September 2023, the Political Prisoners Network Myanmar (PPNM) reported.

Pyae Sone Oo had been battling kidney disease and pneumonia for approximately six months.

Advocates for political prisoners attribute his deteriorating health to poor prison conditions, including contaminated drinking water and insufficient medical care.

“In prisons, high lead and chemical levels in drinking water aggravate kidney disease. Combined with the lack of adequate medical supplies, this often leads to preventable deaths,” said Ko Thaik Htun Oo, a PPNM member.

PPNM reported that between January and November 2024, at least 20 people, 18 political prisoners and two other inmates died in Myanmar’s prisons due to inadequate healthcare.

Pyae Sone Oo’s death highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar’s prisons, with rights groups calling for immediate reforms to address the dire conditions faced by detainees.