Freedom House Encouraged by Nascent Press Freedom Reform in Burma

Freedom House welcomes the announcement by the Burmese Government that it has ended pre-publication censorship and views it as another positive step in opening up the space for free expression. However, the Press Scrutiny and Registration Board (PSRD) has not been dismantled and highly restrictive media restrictions still remain firmly in place […]

10 Most Censored Countries

Shutting out international media and imposing dictatorial controls on domestic coverage, the Horn of Africa nation of Eritrea has emerged as the world’s most censored country, the Committee to Protect Journalists has found in its newly updated analysis of press restrictions around […]

World Press Freedom Day, Not Yet a Day of Celebration for Burma’s Journalists

This week, on 3 May, the world will celebrate World Press Freedom Day, giving the occasion to look closely at recent developments that appear on the surface to be an easing of media restrictions in Burma.

This year, the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) exempted publications covering the themes of health, kids, technology, crime, education and sports from pre-publication censorship. Despite this, a recent International Media Support report found that Burma’s censorship board still orders the removal of approximately 20 to 25% of articles submitted by newspapers and magazines.

For instance, while massive presence of international media was allowed inside Burma at the time of the by-elections, local media were facing harsh restrictions. The International Press Institute reported that ahead of the elections, the PSRD issued a list of “Do’s and don’ts for the media covering the by-elections.” A local reporter explained that the PSRD warned editors that “action will be taken” against publications that don’t abide by the board’s guidelines […]

Freedom of Expression and Opinion in Burma: Still a Long Way to Go

There have been a number of positive developments in Burma with respect to the freedom of expression and opinion over the course of 2011 including some reductions in the level of censorship of the press, the loosening of restrictions on access to the Internet, and the recent release of political prisoners. However, while the international community has been focused on these openings, hundreds more individuals remain in prison solely for expressing their opinions and numerous obstacles continue to make it difficult for journalists and ordinary citizens in Burma to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and opinion […]

Naypyidaw’s Lies and Disinformation Illustrate Lack of Willingness to Make Real Change

This week, Naypyidaw’s public relations games reached a new low with Information Minister Kyaw Hsan’s interview in the Wall Street Journal. For the first time in years, a regime official met with a major Western news organisation in a three-hour-long interview only two days before the opening of the 19th ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia, where the bloc was to decide on Burma’s bid for the chairmanship in 2014. Kyaw Hsan’s interview was a last attempt at charming ASEAN member states and strategic partners. The regime’s disinformation campaign paid off with ASEAN ultimately making the decision to grant Burma the Chair, the EU welcoming positive moves in the country in an official statement, and US President Barack Obama announcing the first visit to the country in 50 years of an American Secretary of State.

However, a simple glance at this week’s interview is enough to see through the military-led government’s public relations campaign and realize that the regime under President Thein Sein is not ready for genuine change […]

Many News Websites Unblocked, but 17 Journalists and Three Netizens Still Held

Reporters Without Borders has confirmed that access to a number of previously banned foreign news websites including Youtube, BBC, Reuters, The Bangkok Post, Straits Times, Radio Free Asia, Irrawaddy, Democratic Voice of Burma, and the Burmese version of Voice of America has been unblocked. Internet connections nonetheless continue to be very slow […]

In Burma, transition neglects press freedom

Thein Sein’s new civilian government has promised reform, but Burma remains one of the most restricted nations in the world for the press. A CPJ investigation finds a regime that heavily censors news reports and regularly imprisons journalists […]

Repression Continues While Observers Naïvely Seek to “Wait and See”

More than six weeks following the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)’s elections to install a superficially civilian government dominated by the military and its allies, the reality on the ground in Burma has not changed for the better. The military regime continues to wage war against armed ethnic groups, the media, and the democratic forces working for progress. This repressive environment will undoubtedly remain in place as the same regime pursues identical oppressive policies from expensive new parliament buildings. Critics of the elections are asked again and again to “wait and see” before condemning the new parliament, but it begs the question: are the “pragmatic” supporters of the elections simply naïve? […]

Burma’s 2010 Elections: The story so far

This briefer shows that despite the SPDC’s repeated pledges for “free and fair” elections, indicators for election monitoring based on EU, UN, and OSCE guidelines point to the contrary. The SPDC election laws and conduct of the SPDC Election Commission have caused the dissolution of parties that won 84% of seats in the last election, and disenfranchised at least 1.5 million voters […]

Week 30: 2010 Election Watch (28 September – 4 October)

Developments

• The SPDC Election Commission rejected the Difference and Peace Party’s transcript for its TV and radio campaign message. It also censored the campaign messages of the All Mon Region Democracy Party, the Chin National Party, and the Shan Nationals Democratic Party […]