Crimes against journalists
Freedom of speech is critical to free and fair elections. Since the military staged a coup in Myanmar they have perpetrated a regime to crush free speech. This has included a growing list of humanitarian crimes against journalists and media outlets reporting in and on behalf of the country.
This is a living page detailing those crimes, which is updated monthly.
If you would like to contact us about a crime against a journalist, please reach out to [email protected]
2024
Myat Thu Tan, a journalist who contributed to several media outlets including the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and local online outlet Western News, was shot and killed on January 31 while in military custody in Mrauk-U in Rakhine State.
Kaung Sett Lin, MPA's photojournalist was released from Insein prison as part of the junta's mass amnesty of January 4, 2024.
Kaung Sett Lin and videographer Hmu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun of the independent Myanmar Pressphoto Agency were arrested by the junta on December 5, 2021, while they were covering a flash mob protest on Pan Pin Gyi Road in Yangon. Both were in a military hospital due to injuries sustained at the event. Security forces opened fire on the protesters, killing at least five people in the melee. Hmu Yadanar remains imprisoned, having received a 10-year sentence.
2023
Mekong News Agency's Media License was revoked on December 24, 2023 for allegedly breaching the Article 8 of the Publishing Act, announced junta-controlled Ministry of Information.
Aung San Oo, a journalist at local media outlet Dawei Watch was arrested by the Myanmar junta in Dawei, Tanintharyi region on December 11, 2023, along with another Dawei Watch journalist Myo Myint Oo.
Myo Myint Oo, a journalist at local media outlet Dawei Watch was arrested by the Myanmar junta in Dawei, Tanintharyi region on December 11, 2023, along with another Dawei Watch journalist Aung San Oo.
On October 29, approximately 20 soldiers and police officers from Rakhine raided the office of independent media outlet the Development Media Group (DMG), arresting local reporter Htet Aung and a security guard and seizing cameras, computers, and documents.
On October 29, approximately 20 soldiers and police officers from Rakhine raided the office of independent media outlet the Development Media Group (DMG), arresting local reporter Htet Aung and a security guard and seizing cameras, computers, and documents.
Sai Zaw Thaike was arrested in western Rakhine state while he was reporting for Myanmar Now on the fallout from Cyclone Mocha on May 23 and he faced four charges, including breaching a natural disaster law and a telecommunications law. On September 6, 2023, a court inside Yangon's Insein Prison jailed him for 20 years, the longest-known prison term for a media professional since the 2021 coup. Myanmar Now has indicated that the charges for which Sai Zaw Thaike has been convicted remain unclear. He had been detained without access to a lawyer or family visits in advance of the trial.
Kyaw Min Swe was arrested at his home in Yangon on April 11, 2023, shortly after his Facebook profile photo was updated to show a black square in an apparent comment about an airstrike earlier that day on Pazi Gyi, a village in the center of Myanmar. He was released on 7 July, 2023, almost three months after his detention.
Thaung Win, the ex-publisher of The Irrawaddy, an independent news organization, received a five-year prison sentence on charges of sedition. He was apprehended at his residence in September 2022 and initially accused of breaching the Publishing and Distribution Act.
On June 10, 2023, the junta-controlled Ministry of Information revoked the Ayeyarwaddy Times’ media license for allegedly breaching Article 8 of the Publishing Act.
Military junta arrested photojournalist Kaung Sett Lin and videographer Hmu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun, both with the independent Myanmar Pressphoto Agency, on December 5, 2021, while they were covering a flash mob protest on Pan Pin Gyi Road in the commercial capital Yangon. Both were in a military hospital due to injuries sustained at the event. On December 21, 2022, the Insein Prison Court sentenced both to three years in prison with hard labour. Hmu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun was sentenced to an additional ten years imprisonment on May 26, 2023, which means she stands to spend 13 years in prison.
Kyaw Zeya, the editor of the Kanbawza Tai News (KTZ News) agency, was arrested when soldiers raided his parents’ home in Gyobingauk, a small town in the central Bago region, on the morning of 25 December. He was released on May 3, 2023 in an amnesty on so-called 'humanitarian grounds.'
Daw Yin Yin Thein (Nabar), free journalist from Indaw Township, Sagaing Region was arrested by military junta on 18 November at 11 pm at her home. During their arrest, she was beaten and shouted, and no one was allowed to see the scene by junta. Yin Yin Thein was released on May 3, 2023 in an amnesty on so-called 'humanitarian grounds.'
It was reported that Zaw Lin Htut, a former member of the University Students’ Union Alumini Force as well as a freelance reporter was arrested on 19 December while he was going to join the protest in Thingangyun Township. He was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment on Mar 31, 2022. Zaw Lin Htut was released on May 3, 2023 in an amnesty on so-called ‘humanitarian grounds.’
Nyein Nyein Aye @ Mabel is a freelance journalist and she was arrested in Yangon on 15 January 2022. She had been detained in the Insein Prison since she was arrested and finally military influenced court in the Insein Prison sentenced her to three years imprison with hard labour on 14 July 2022. Nyein Nyein Aye was released on May 3, 2023.
Freelance photo- and videographer Aung Win Htut was violently abducted from his house by the military on the evening of February 19, 2023. A few hours later, his family received news of his death.
Military junta came and arrested the former Ayeyarwaddy Times News Agency editor as well as a senior reporter for Myitmakha News Agency at his home in Pathein on 22 October 2021 and charged him with violating Article 505 (a) of Burma's Penal Code. He has already spent in prison for 10 months and finally the court in Pathein Prison sentenced to him two years imprisonment on the charge of panel code 505 (a). Myo Min Tun was released in the Myanmar junta's so-called "Independence Day Amnesty" on January 4, 2023.
Aung Zaw Zaw is a native journalist of Sagaing Region and he was arrested by the military at his home in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region on 16 January 2022. He was accused of violating Section 505a of the Penal Code and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment on March 23 in junta courts. Aung Zaw Zaw was released in the Myanmar junta's so-called "Independence Day Amnesty" on January 4, 2023.