cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/20747975
There are over 100 Myanmar nationals who, despite having completed their sentences and paid all their fines for illegally staying in Manipur State, are still being held at Imphal Prison. Their families are allowed to contact them once a week.
Family members of those imprisoned say they are facing difficulties in raising 50,000 rupees because they have been fleeing conflict and lack stable employment.
So wait, how is this not ransom? They committed a crime and completed their punishment plus paid a fine. Now they are being held against their will and can only be released after their families pay money that wasn’t directed by the judicial system. I know this is India and not the US, but that sounds exactly like unlawful confinement and ransom to me.
And their crime was running from a war at home where their homes had been burned to the ground by a military junta.