•PEC
Geneva: As the military rulers of Myanmar (also known as Burma and
Brahmadesh) continue to arrest scribes in the south-east Asian
country, the global media safety & rights body Press Emblem Campaign
(PEC) condemns the Burmese junta (also known as Tatmadaw) and demands
the unconditional release of all 45 journalists still behind the bars
since 1 February 2021 coup that deposed the democratically elected
Aung San Suu Kyi-led government in Naypietaw.
Local media outlets in Yangon, Myanmar’s former capital, reported that
the Min Aung Hlaing-led military junta has lately arrested two
reporters namely Ko Zaw and Ma Moe Myint from Dawei, the headquarter
of Tanintharyi region in southern Myanmar, on 19 January 2022. Along
with them, a media employee Ko Thar Gyi, who also works for DaweiWatch
Burmese news portal (www.daweiwatch.com), was also detained.
Even offices of the media outlet, which primarily covers
socio-political events taking place in the southern localities of
Myanmar, were also raised by the military personnel and they seized
documents as well. The portal lately reported about the worsening
human rights situation in Tanintharyi region as over 50 civilians were
killed and nearly 900 have been imprisoned since the coup day.
“The Burmese junta continues to arrest media workers, raid news-desks
and threaten media houses with brutal laws with an aim to silence the
media. It arrested over 125 journalists in the last 11 months. Among
them 45 scribes are yet to be released, which is shocking,” said
Blaise Lempen, secretary-general of PEC (www.pressemblem.ch) adding
that they must be released and allowed to perform their duties and
media workers.
PEC’s south-east Asia representative Nava Thakuria informed that three
Burmese journalists lost their lives because of military atrocities
within 30 days. Freelance photojournalist Ko Soe Naing lost his life
on 14 December under military custody. Later journalist Sai Win Aung
of FederalNews died of head injuries caused by the Tatmadaw-operated
shells on 25 December. Khonumthung news agency editor Pu Tui Dim died
in military firing on 9 January last.