With the military junta coming to power in Myanmar in 2021, the situations in the country remain largely hidden from the outside world. However, a former journalist named Maung Maung shed light on the dire circumstances of people living under the junta’s dictatorial control.

He recounted his perilous journey to escape the clutches of the regime after the overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi and recounted the unbearable brutality he endured at the hands of the Myanmar military, including the horrific ordeal of his own brother.

According to a report published in The Independentthe former journalist living in Yangon described the dramatic change after the military coup on February 1, 2021.

“As a journalist in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, my life was irrevocably changed on February 1, 2021. The military took control and plunged the nation into chaos. Millions demonstrated against the coup, but their resistance was met with brutal violence. The army’s actions were ruthless: thousands were killed or imprisoned, a nationwide curfew was imposed, houses were searched and anyone deemed ‘suspicious’ was arrested.” News 18 quoted The Independent where Maung shared his ordeal.

“Social media, a lifeline to the outside world, has been silenced. Torture during interrogation became a frightening reality and claimed countless lives. Faced with this terror, many fled and sought refuge in neighboring Thailand,” he added.

The former journalist also revealed the frightening consequences of even the slightest perceived disagreement.

“One of my friends was detained for three months. Foreign journalists who had Aung San Suu Kyi’s photo on their cellphones were sentenced to seven years in prison. They were tortured for months in a dark prison cell. Many are still detained there,” he said.

“One of my three brothers was arrested for liking a Facebook post. His legs were cut off. Boiling water was poured on the wounds, causing him to lose consciousness. When he regained consciousness the next morning, soldiers dragged him out. They tied him up “When he woke up a second time, he was in a truck on the way to Insein Prison,” Maung said.

Paid bribe to prison guard

Maung revealed that he paid a prison official a large bribe to get his wife medical treatment. He was released after eight months due to lack of evidence.

“I also quit my job and left Yangon. The first thing I did was delete all photos, data and emails from my cell phone and laptop. We bought rice from farmers, filled sacks, hid them in a truck and fled in the middle of the night. Along the way, we bribed soldiers at military checkpoints with whiskey and cash to let us go,” he said.