Five Myanmar nationals are still lodged in the jail along with their five minor wards even after completing their jail sentence, as per superintendent of Imphal Central Jail, SK Bhadrika.
He made the statement before a division bench of the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) headed by its chairperson UB Saha on April 28 in connection with a hearing of a case filed by one Myanmar national Mya Myat Mon in connection with the alleged arbitrary detention of the five mothers and their five minor wards.
It is reported that the minor children were kept in the jail with their mothers as there was none to look after them.
During the hearing, the jail superintendent further submitted that he has not ascertained as to whether these convicted persons had deposited the fine money or not.
He further informed that the jail authority is ready to release all the foreign prisoners who had completed their jail sentence and for which a letter dated February 3 had been sent to the Commissioner (Home) for deportation of 35 Myanmar nationals who are at present in the jail including the five mothers.
Also Read: Facial Recognition System for ILP launched
The bench, after going through another letter of the CS (Home) dated April 8 addressed to the DGP (Prison), had noted that the state government had declared the newly constructed block of the Manipur Central Jail as detention centre for the women foreign nationals and which further asked to shift 16 female Myanmar foreigners with six minor children from the foreign detention centre of Sajiwa.
Observing that the detention of the five mothers will amount to violation of human rights, the bench commented that the jail authority should have released them immediately following necessary procedures, so that they can be either deported to their own country or they should be sent to foreigners’ detention centres.
Also Read: War on Drugs: Leakages on the way
In conclusion, the bench had directed that the jail authority should, after releasing them, hand them over on completion of their period sentence with their minor children to the home department for keeping them in the declared detention centre or to deport them to their own country.
It also directed the home department to take up the matter with the Union government so that the Union government can take up the matter with the Myanmar government for their deportation.
At the time of deportation if any the government should provide them some money or articles for their immediate relief, the order mentioned.
