Crowds gathered outside Insein Prison in Rangoon on May 17, when the government began releasing prisoners after a 1-year commutation of all sentences. A small group of women prisoners began a hunger strike on the same day, saying the commutation was not adequate. They were joined by male political prisoners on Sunday, May 22. Photo: MizzimaIn a statement, Secretary Teik Naing said the prisoners have made a six-point demand for improvements in prison conditions including providing clean and nutritious food, providing adequate medical care and allowing prisoners to read books and the right to study languages.

Insein Prison authorities declined to answer questions when contacted byMizzima.

Seventeen political prisoners are staging a hunger strike and five prisoners are staging a sit-in strike in their prison ward, Teik Naing said.

The strikers are from various groups including the National League for Democracy, the All Burma Federation of Students Union, 88-Generation Students and monks who took part in the September 2007 demonstrations, he said.

At the same time, a group of prominent political prisoners have sent a letter to Home Minister Ko Ko demanding the same six-point improvements. They included Buddhist monk Ashin Gambira, who is serving a 63-year prison term, a 1990 election MP Nyi Pu from Rakhine State, Htay Aung aka Aung Myat, and Min Min Tun.

The prisoners’ association said earlier that seven female prisoners including four female political prisoners in Insein Prison No. 7 Ward began a hunger strike on May 17. The health of these prisoners is not known.