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]
2022
A Shan journalist, Than Soe Aung, based in Namsang, southern Shan State, was sentenced to five years in prison by a military tribunal on 18 May, reports DVB. The sentence came after being detained for two months, according to sources close to the journalist. He was arrested at his home in the first week of March and was charged with incitement and spreading misinformation under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code.
It was reported that Maung Maung Myo, freelance journalist of Maekhong News Agency was arrested on the bus heading to Mandalay in Pha-an Township on 11 May 2022. Security forces found some social media posts which are against military coup in his phone.
Ko Win Naing Oo is a Chief Reporter of Mandalay TV News was arrested in Mandalay on 31 August 2021. He was initially charged under Article 505(a) of the penal code and detained in Oh Bo Prison. On 5 April 2022, a military controlled court in Oh Bo Prison sentenced him to five years in prison.
Ko Khin Myint Tun @ Shwe Lynn Thit is a reporter from Golden Traingle News Agency and he was arrested at his home on 11 July 2021. Military charged him with Counter Terrorism Act 51 (D) and now sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment on 5 April 2022.
Ko Naing Lin Htun, reporter of Dakkhina Insight News based in Dawei, was shot with live ammunition while he’s covering the protest news and forcibly abducted by military junta on 19 December 21. He’s been charged with 3 absurd charges and junta-controlled court sentenced to him for 3 years imprisonment on 31 March 2021.
A freelance journalist based in Myawaddy, Karen State—across the border from Thailand—has been charged with violating Section 505a of the Penal Code for incitement, according to a family friend.
While the reason for his arrest has not been confirmed, the source said that Nay Naw, also known as Myo Naung Naung Zaw, was accused of incitement after a March 27 report he published on social media.
Ko Than Soe Aung , freelance journalist, based in Nang San Township, Shan State was arrested at home on 7 March 2022. Military junta is charging him with counter terrorism law- 52.
Ko Thurien Kyaw, is a founder of Media Top 4 and he was arrested by military junta while he was covering a rally in support of the ruling military junta in Yangon.
Ko Hla Myo Aung, freelance journalist was arrested by military junta at home in Maha Aung Myay Township, Mandalay on 9 February 2022. His family member hasn’t got any information about where he has been kept by military junta.
Military junta came to arrest reporter Ma Moe Myint and Ko Zaw Ko as well as office staff Phyo Pyae Lay Lwin @ Thar Gyi at their homes on 19 January 2022. The security force also raided office of Dawei Watch and nobody knows a place where they have been taken by military.
It was reported that Ko Aung Zaw Zaw, part-time video editor at Mandalay Free Press News, was arbitrarily ABDUCTED from his home at Tawkkashap village in Kantbalu Township, Sagaing Region. The cause of arrest and his whereabouts unknown yet.
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On January 6 or 7, 2022, members of the Myanmar military’s 140 Infantry Battalion abducted at least 10 people, including journalist Pu Tuidim, amid fighting between the military and anti-government forces in Chin State’s Matupi Township, and later executed them. On January 9, Pu Tuidim’s body was found near that township’s Kilong village, along with the bodies of the other abductees.
2021
Sai Win Aung, also known as A Sai K, was killed in an artillery attack by Myanmar military forces on December 25, 2021, while reporting on refugees in southeastern Kayin state’s Myawaddy township, near the border with Thailand.
It was reported that Win Win Nwe, a former journalist for The First News and First Weekly News Journal, was arrested at her house in Shan State’s Taunggyi on 24 December 2021. Her whereabouts are still unknown.
Ko Nyein Chan Wai, a correspondent of Bago Weekly Journal, who was arrested by military junta at his father-in-law’s house on May 15, 2021 and detained at Thayawaddy Prison in Bago Division. On 17 December 2021 he was sentenced to 3 years in prison Section 505 (a) of Penal Code.
It was reported that Ko Min Thike Tun (an underaged reporter of Monywa based Regional News Agency), were brutally beaten and forciblt abducted by military junta during raiding of Ahlone Monastery in Sagaing Region on 12 December 2021.
At around midnight on December 11, military junta raided Aung San Lin’s home in the village of Pin Zin, in the north western region of Sagaing, and arrested him, according to news reports and a report by his employer. An unnamed family member of the journalist who said he was beaten while being taken into detention but did not say how he was attacked or the extent of any injuries. Aung San Lin, was sentenced on 7 July to a total of six years of hard labour on "terrorism" and "false news" charges
A photo journalist, Soe Naing was arrested on Human Rights Day , 10 December in 2021. He was taken military junta while he and his colleagues were taking photos of empty streets during a ‘silent strike’ in Myanmar. It was also reported that Soe Naing died in interrogation centre on 12 December.
Two crime reporters based in Myaung Mya Township, Aung Moe Zaw and U Hla Myo (Yarzar Gyi) have also been detained in junta custody since August and 1 November respectively. All three were prosecuted with section 505(A) by Myaung Mya Police Station, Ayeyarwaddy Region.
Two crime reporters based in Myaung Mya Township, Aung Moe Zaw and U Hla Myo (Yarzar Gyi) have also been detained in junta custody since August and 1 November respectively. All three were prosecuted with section 505(A) by Myaung Mya Police Station, Ayeyarwaddy Region.