A/HRC/42/CRP.5 put a rope around his neck and dragged him along a rough road. 818 Detainees were denied food and water for a number of days and were forced to drink their own urine. 819 369. The Mission received credible information that three of the men died in detention from beatings.820 Detainees described to their relatives how they heard soldiers beating one of the detainees to force him to sign a confession that he was a member of the AA. When he refused, detainees heard a sound of “a cracking, like an iron bar”. 821 Then they heard “the sound of someone falling, then silence”.822 Other detainees reportedly decided to sign confessions in fear of similar treatment.823 370. The Myanmar military denied responsibility for the deaths, claiming that one died of respiratory problems, another of drug addiction and the third of suicide and that autopsies were performed on the bodies.824 Credible media reports indicate however that the bodies were cremated without consent of the families.825 371. Family members of the deceased have not received any official confirmation of the deaths of their relatives, copies of the alleged autopsy reports or the ashes of their relatives.826 A widow of one of the deceased stated: I never got anything from the government, not my husband’s ashes, not even his clothing. I don’t even really know if his body was cremated. I have no real information. Sometimes I think maybe he is still alive. It is hard to believe anything. My life has been destroyed.827 372. While the men were in the Tatmadaw’s custody, relatives and fellow villagers were not informed of their whereabouts, despite efforts to find them. 828 373. In early May, following the issuance of arrest warrants by a District Court, the remaining 24 detainees were transferred to police custody and charged with terrorismrelated offenses.829 The Mission was informed that the detainees were unable to secure legal representation immediately.830 The Mission also received credible information that while in 818 819 820 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829 830 106 LI-207, LI-208. LI-207, LI-208. LI-206, LI-207. LI-207, LI-208. LI-207, LI-208. LI-219. The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, "Questions from news media were answered during Tatmadaw Press Conference" (3 May 2019): https://cincds.gov.mm/node/2670. See also interview with the spokesman from the Tatmadaw True News Information Team, Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun stating "one person died of heart disease, another used his own lungyi to hang himself, and another one was a drug addict", available at: https://burmese.voanews.com/a/rakhine-3-civilian-dead/4890978.html Radio Free Asia, “Myanmar Army Denies Torturing 3 Rakhine Men, But Swift Cremation Raises Suspicions” (26 April 2019), The Irrawaddy “Men Died in Army Detention, Cremated without Families’ Knowledge (26 April 2019). See also: MCN TV News Channel, "MCN Daily News 9 May 2019" (9 May 2019), available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmEiOZMaZS0&feature=youtu.be&t=297, where U Aung Kyaw Zen, Minister of Electricity, Transport and Communications from Rakhine State Government Group, explained to the Rakhine State Parliament that "while the 3 people were experiencing bad health, they were sent in time to the Sittwe Hospital, and when they died, the families were notified. However, because the families did not get back in touch in time, the bodies were cremated at the Sittwe Town Cemetery according to the permission from the 'Development Committee' (under the control of Ministry of Border Affairs)". LI-207, LI-209. LI-209. LI-207, LI-219. LI-207, LI-219, Radio Free Asia, “Hearing Begins for 23 Detained Villagers from Myanmar’s Rakhine State” (21 June 2019). LI-207, LI-219.