According to 88 Generation Students members, the prison authorities moved student activist leaders from Insein Annex Prison to Insein main prison on Monday night and detained some of the student leaders in the same cells as criminals.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Nilar Thein, a prominent female student activist, said, “Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Jimmy, Mya Aye, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe and Htin Kyaw were sent to Insein main prison on Monday night.”

“Mya Aye is kept inside the same cell as a criminal who received the death penalty for murder; Min Ko Naing is also sharing a cell with a criminal,” she added.

Soe Tun, another member of the 88 Generation Students movement, said, “We are really worried for Mya Aye’s health because he has been suffering with heart failure for a long time. It is inappropriate to keep him with criminals.”

The prison authorities do not provide nutritious food or medication for prisoners, who usually rely on donations from family members.

Meanwhile, Ko Ko Gyi is reported to be suffering from serious backache after accidentally slipping and colliding with a cement water container just as he was recovering from dengue fever, said a close colleague.

Thirteen leaders—Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Win Aung, Min Zeya, Mya Aye, Kyaw Min Yu, Zeya, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe, Arnt Bwe Kyaw, Panneik Tun, Zaw Zaw Min, Thet Zaw and Nyan Lin Tun—of the 88 Generation Students group were arrested during an overnight operation by security forces on August 21, after they had led a march protesting increased fuel prices.

The state-run media accused them of “breaking the law guarding against acts undermining the efforts to successfully carry out peaceful transfer of State power and facilitate the proceedings of the National Convention.” [sic]

Other 88 Generation Student members, such as Htay Kywe, Mie Mie and Aung Thu, were arrested in mid-October from their hiding place.