Yangon/Geneva: The Myanmar junta continues jailing scribes despite the global condemnation of the move to silence the press by the military rulers. The latest on the list of incarcerated journalists is Yangon-based freelance journalist Ah Hla Lay Thuzar. She was recently sentenced to two years in prison with hard labour by a military court.
Thuzar was convicted by the court inside Insein prison on November 22, 2022, for “causing fear, spreading false news and agitating crimes” against a government employee under section 505 (a) of the penal code, said a report by Mizzima news. She was arrested from Yangon on September 1, last year and detained in Insein prison. Remaining in the profession for nearly 15 years, Thuzar worked for Friday Time Journal, Modern Journal, RFA News, 7 Days News Media, among others.
The continued detention and sentencing of journalists in military courts since the present regime usurped power on February 1, 2001, has invited global outcry but the military dictators of Myanmar are unruffled by such criticisms.
Today, while denouncing the sentencing of Thuzar, Geneva-based global media safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign demanded release of all detained and imprisoned journalists by the Min Aung Hlaing-led military regime in the southeast Asian nation.
“We were relieved a few days back when the imprisoned Japanese journalist-filmmaker Toru Kubota along with 6,000 political prisoners were released under a mass amnesty by the military generals. But it was perhaps a trick as thousands of journalists, activists, political workers, etc are still behind the bars. Naypietaw must work sincerely to release them at the earliest,” Blaise Lempen, president of PEC.
PEC’s south and southeast Asia representative Nava Thakuria informed that over 140 journalists have been detained since the military coup in February 2021. Over 40 local journalists and 13,000 political prisoners are living under military custody. Moreover, the Generals continue harassing the media fraternity and a large number of media outlets face the junta crackdown. Many have already closed their offices and shifted to hideouts (including neighbouring countries) for their committed operation, Thakuria said.
– global bihari bureau
