27 women and children who were illegally held in an Indian prison for between one and two years after they had served their full sentences were finally released on 21 March 2025.
They were being held at Sajiwa Prison in Imphal, the capital of India’s Manipur State before their release, that was reported on by India for Myanmar, an India based independent grassroots advocacy movement aimed at restoring democracy in Myanmar, made up of members from organisations in India and Myanmar.
The 20 women and seven children, all ethnic Bamar and Chin people, were detained in Manipur State’s Langka Town during 2022 and sentenced to prison for being in India illegally. They had all been imprisoned in Sajiwa Prison since they were arrested.
Though the 27 had long completed their sentences the Indian authorities continued to illegally keep them in prison beyond the ends of their sentences and had refused to release them.
According to India for Myanmar the Indian authorities only released them after they were put under pressure by India for Myanmar and about 160 organisations in Myanmar following the 10 March 2025 death of U Aung Myint, another Myanmar citizen imprisoned in Sajiwa Prison, Unlike the 27 released prisoners, he was still serving his prison sentence after having been arrested in February 2024 and being subsequently convicted and sentenced to prison.
Salai Dokhar, the founder of India for Myanmar said: “India's decision to release the Myanmar prisoners seems to be a response to our call. But the 27 women and children who were just freed should have been released much sooner. In other words, they were held far longer than necessary. Another thing to note is that India only acted after an inmate died in prison.”
It is unknown what arrangements will be made to return the 27 to Myanmar. On two previous occasions groups of Myanmar citizens who were released from Indian Prisons were handed over by the Indian authorities to the Myanmar junta authorities who temporarily held them in Tamu Town in Sagaing Region on their return, before releasing them on bail and allowing them to return to their homes.
