Burma: Indictment of Reuters Journalists is “dramatic decline in press freedom”

On occasion of the indictment of two imprisoned journalists from the Reuters news agency, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) criticizes the dramatic decline in press freedom in Burma. At the same time, the human rights organization demanded that the reporters – whose research had contributed significantly to the comprehensive media coverage regarding the mass exodus of the Rohingya from Burma – should be set free immediately.

Further, the STP accused Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, of turning from a human rights icon into an enemy of press freedom since she became the state’s most influential politician in April 2016. “The trial against the two journalists, whose only offence was to do their job, is an attack on press freedom – aiming to intimidate journalists who are trying to get at the truth and who don’t want to be harassed by powerful military leaders,” said Ulrich Delius, the STP’s director, in Göttingen on Wednesday.

At least 12 journalists were arrested in Burma for political reasons in 2017, and dozens of citizen journalists and bloggers were prosecuted for alleged defamation and personal rights violations.

“It is particularly absurd and strange that the two journalists are supposed to be convicted on the basis of colonial laws that are more than 90 year old,” Delius stated. The indictment is based on a secrecy law of the British colonial power, dating back to 1923. In the trial, which is supposed to be opened on January 23, 2018, the two journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are facing imprisonment of up to 14 years. They were arrested almost a month ago – on December 12, 2017 – and have not been set free again, despite appeals from many foreign governments. Former US President Bill Clinton had advocated for their release only yesterday.

Header Foto: Global Media Sharing via Flickr