The story of imprisoned U.S. citizen Kyaw Zaw Lwin continues with a report that he has been transferred to what is known as a dog cell — the rough equivalent of solitary confinement in the United States — in Myanmar’s notorious Insein prison, according his aunt who was allowed 20 minutes with her nephew.

From Mizzima:

“I met him for about 20 minutes. He is thinner though in good health. He told me he wants to meet his lawyers and an official from the US embassy,” Khin Khin Swe said.

“We could not talk to him freely during his last court appearance on Friday. He said he had called off his hunger strike protest on December 15,” she added.

Nyi Nyi Aung, began a hunger-strike on December 4, in protest against the treatment of prisoners and demanding prisoner”s rights. But on the third day of the strike, prison authorities transferred him to the dog-cell, about an 8 feet square cellar where dogs are usually kept.

“He is not allowed to see or talk to anyone. And also not allowed to read newspapers. He said he was hooded when he was transferred to the dog-cell,” she added.

Nyi Nyi Aung”s aunt said, during their brief meeting with her nephew, prison security officials were busy listening and taking notes of their conversation.

Meanwhile, on Friday, 53 US Congressmen including US Congress Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Howard Berman, Mr. Frank Wolf and Human Rights Commission Joint-Chairman Mr. Tom Lantos sent a letter to Burmese Military Supremo Snr Gen Than Shwe asking him to immediately release Nyi Nyi Aung.

The United States Lawmakers, in their letter dated December 18 and addressed to Than Shwe, said Nyi Nyi Aung”s arrest is in violation of the Vienna Convention and is against domestic and international laws.