Myanmar

2017

  

Two Reuters reporters arrested in Myanmar

Bangkok, December 13, 2017–Two Reuters reporters were arrested on Tuesday evening by police in Myanmar’s former capital of Yangon, Reuters and other news outlets reported. The Committee to Protect Journalists called today for the reporters’ immediate and unconditional release.

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Singaporean journalist Lau Hon Meng, center left, and Malaysian journalist Mok Choy Lin, both accused for allegedly flying drones illegally over parliament buildings, are escorted during their trial at a court Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP/Aung Shine Oo)

Journalists jailed for two months in Myanmar over drone use

Bangkok, November 10, 2017–A Myanmar court today sentenced two foreign journalists who were on assignment for Turkey’s state broadcaster, along with their interpreter and driver, to two months in prison on charges of filming with a drone without official permission, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the sentencing and calls on…

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Lawmakers attend a regular session of the lower house of parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar on Monday, June 19, 2017. Myanmar authorities on October 27 detained two foreign reporters, along with their interpreter and driver, after the journalists flew a drone near the country's parliament building. (AP/Aung Shine Oo)

Myanmar charges reporters with illegally importing drone

Bangkok, October 30, 2017–Myanmar authorities charged two foreign reporters on assignment for Turkish state broadcaster TRT, along with their interpreter and driver, of allegedly violating import-export laws after the journalists flew a drone near the country’s parliament building, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Myanmar authorities to immediately release…

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Rohingya Muslim refugees stand on a street in the Bangladeshi town of Ukhia on September 15, 2017. Bangladesh has detained two Myanmar journalists who are reporting on the crisis. (AFP/Dominique Faget)

Bangladesh detains two Myanmar journalists covering Rohingya crisis

New York, September 15, 2017–Bangladeshi authorities should immediately release two Myanmar journalists who police detained on September 7 and drop all charges against them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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A man in Thae Chaung, Myanmar uses the internet in this February 25, 2015, file photo. (Reuters/Minzayar Minzayar)

Myanmar journalist arrested at airport ahead of criminal defamation trial

Bangkok, July 31, 2017–Myanmar authorities should drop all charges against Swe Win, the editor of the news website Myanmar Now, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police at Yangon’s international airport yesterday arrested the journalist on charges of attempting to flee the country before his trial next month on criminal defamation charges, news reports…

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Gate's leading to Myanmar's parliament in Naypyidaw. The Upper House is due to discuss amendments to Myanmar's restrictive Telecommunications Law this week. (AFP/Romeo Gacad)

Online defamation law amendments fall short in Myanmar

Bangkok, July 17, 2017–A ministerial proposal to amend Myanmar’s 2013 Telecommunications Law falls short of the changes needed to guarantee press freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. The statute has been repeatedly abused to stifle online speech and jail journalists, CPJ has found.

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Irrawaddy reporter Thein Zaw, seen in this undated picture, is detained with two other journalists in Myanmar's Shan state. (Steve Tickner)

Myanmar detains three journalists who reported on outlawed group

Washington D.C., June 27, 2017–Myanmar authorities should immediately release three journalists arrested in northern Shan state yesterday on accusations of unlawful association after they covered an event organized by an armed ethnic group that is banned by authorities, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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A monk reads the newspaper in Yangon, Myanmar, in this November 9, 2015 file photo. (Reuters/Soe Zeya Tun)

Three journalists charged with defamation in Myanmar

Bangkok, June 19, 2017–Authorities in Myanmar should immediately drop all criminal proceedings against three journalists charged with defamation and should strike all criminal defamation laws from the books, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Myanmar officials pledge to reform law used to jail journalists

မြန်မာဘာသာ Yangon, Myanmar, June 9, 2017–Legislation to remove criminal penalties from a law used to imprison journalists on defamation charges will soon be introduced in Myanmar’s legislature, a senior official of the Ministry of Information told a visiting delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday.

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Journalists work in The Voice's office in Yangon, Myanmar, June 5, 2017. (AP/Thein Zaw)

Editor and columnist detained on criminal defamation charges in Myanmar

Bangkok, June 5, 2017–Authorities in Myanmar should immediately drop criminal defamation charges against Kyaw Min Swe, editor of The Voice newspaper, and Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing, a columnist at the newspaper who writes under the pen name British Ko Ko Maung, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police detained the journalists on June 2,…

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2017