The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) earlier this month ordered the immediate release of Myamarese refugees who were detained in state jails beyond their authorised period, as well as their immediate deportation to Myanmar.
The Indian Express reported that the May 3 order of the MHRC chief justice U.B. Shah had said that the “convict prisoners involved in these cases are detained in the jail, even after completion of their period of imprisonment, i.e. more than the period of sentence.”
The order was passed on a petition alleging that six Myanmarese minors, kept in jail along with their mothers and grandmothers, were unlawfully detained even after serving their prescribed sentences.
Initially arrested by the Churachandpur police, they were held at the Churachandpur jail throughout their sentence. Following the completion of their sentence, they were subsequently moved to the central jail in Imphal, which the state administration was using as a detention centre for illegal immigrants.
After being convicted in July and August 2022, they were remanded in judicial custody and sentenced to a five-month period by the chief judicial magistrate of Churachandpur.
“According to the jail authority, they have taken up the matter with the Commissioner (Home), Government of Manipur, to deport them to Myanmar from where they entered into Manipur. 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 centre,” said the order.
It further directed the Manipur government’s home department to contact the Union home ministry, “so that Union Government of India can take up the matter with Myanmar Government for their deportation”. “At the time of deportation, if any, the Government should provide them some money/articles for their immediate relief,” the order added.
The petitioner, Mya Myay Mon, a Myanmarese citizen had arrived in India before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since her visa expired, she is currently living in a shelter.
In his report, the jail superintendent had said that the minor children were arrested, but were kept in safe custody with their kin who were arrested under the Foreigners Act for entering India without valid documents.
Citing MHRC sources, the Indian Express report estimated that there were around 35 Myanmarese nationals, including children, in Manipur jails.