Jailed for Calling Themselves Rohingya

Burma Campaign UK today urged the High Representative of the European External Action Service, Federica Mogherini, to take action to free Rohingya community leaders, Ba Thar, Kyaw Khin, Kyaw Myint and Hla Myint, and to pressure the military-backed government in Burma to reform the Prisoners of Conscience Affairs Committee […]

An Interfaith and Peace Activist has been Arrested

A Burmese Muslim activist, Zaw Zaw Latt, who has been working tirelessly for interfaith peace building in Burma, has been arrested.

Zaw Zaw Latt was arrested at 8 pm, on 14th July in Chan Aye Thar Zan Township, Mandalay. He was arrested in a café by police officer U Soe Naing, who arrested him without an arrest warrant. Zaw Zaw Latt is charged under section 17/1 of the penal code for unlawful association with a blacklisted organisation […]

Myanmar: Immediately and Unconditionally Release Imprisoned Media Workers

One year after five media workers from the Unity newspaper were given long jail sentences and five media workers from the Bi-Midday Sun newspaper were detained – later sentenced and jailed – solely for their peaceful journalistic activities, Amnesty International calls on the Myanmar authorities to immediately and unconditionally release them and all other prisoners of conscience in the country […]

The Burma Government Must Unconditionally and Immediately Release Naw Ohn Hla

The Karen Women’s Organization (“KWO”) and Karen Women’s Empowerment Group (“KWEG”) call for the immediate and unconditional release of Naw Ohn Hla, imprisoned in Burma for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression and opinion […]

Burma Gov’t Charges 17 Journalists

Human rights watchdog, Freedom House issued a statement condemning the contempt of court charges filed against 17 journalists in Burma. Freedom House said in their statement that the contempt of court charges filed against the 17 journalists was an indicator of the lack of press freedom in Burma […]

Caught Between State Censorship and Self-Censorship: Prosecution and Intimidation of Media Workers in Myanmar

Myanmar’s media landscape has seen a radical change since the country embarked on a series of important political, economic and social reforms, announced by President Thein Sein in March 2011. The lifting of pre-publication censorship, the release of imprisoned journalists and greater space for freedom of expression have seen the development of an increasingly vibrant and diverse media. These media reforms have been lauded by many in the international community, who are keen to point to increased media freedoms as one of the hallmarks – and successes – of Myanmar’s reform process […]

Burmese Democracy Activist Sentenced to Two Years Imprisonment on Defamation Charges

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is concerned at reports that Htin Lin Oo, the former information officer of the National League for Democracy (NLD), has been handed a two-year prison sentence following his conviction on charges of insulting religion […]

Guilty Verdict for “Insulting Religion” Must be Overturned Immediately

The guilty verdict against an opposition activist in Myanmar today for “insulting religion” is a serious blow to both freedom of expression and religious tolerance in the country, Amnesty International said. Htin Lin Oo, a writer and former information officer of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Myanmar’s main opposition party, was today convicted and […]

World Press Freedom Day or World Press Restrictions Day?

Sunday 3 May, 2015 was World Press Freedom Day and the Burma Army embraced the sentiment of this day by issuing a gaging order on the media, aimed at stopping them from reporting on statements by the ethnic armed group, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) with which the Burma Army is at war with. Meanwhile, 12 journalists remain in prison, demonstrating why the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) designated Burma as the 9^th most censored country in the world.

Five of the most high profile incarcerated media workers, four journalists and the chief executive officer of the Unity Journal, have been in prison since reporting on a secret chemical weapons factory of the Burma Army in January 2014. They are serving seven years with hard labor after being charged under the colonial-era State Secrets Act. International human rights group, Amnesty International, brought attention to this issue on World Press Freedom Day, encouraging supporters to post ‘#FreeUnityFive’ on the Burma Government’s Information Minister’s Facebook wall. It is not just the Unity five that are in prison. Seven more media workers spent World Press Freedom Day without their freedom, including five from the Bi-Midday Sun newspaper and two from the Myanmar Post Weekly […]

Myanmar: Release Media Workers Jailed for Peaceful Journalistic Activities

On World Press Freedom Day, Amnesty International calls on the Myanmar authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all media workers imprisoned in connection with their peaceful journalistic activities […]