He said: “The president cannot interfere in judicial affairs but he has the authority to consider how to ease the verdicts. We must give such a message to the president. On his foreign trip [to Europe], the president asked me about the judicial affairs [concerning this case].”

On 16th October, Pabedan Township Court handed down two years imprisonment to editor in-charge Thura Aung (also known as Aung Thant), executive editor U Win Tin, reporter Kyaw Zaw Hein (also known as Min Watan) and owners U Win Tin and U Tin Min Tun from Bi Moon Te Nay journal under Article 505(b) of the Penal Code.

The journalists were charged over a story published in the journal in July repeating the claim of an activist group, Movement for Democracy Current Force, which mistakenly said that opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had teamed up with several ethnic politicians to form an interim government.

Shortly after the men were arrested, the journal ceased operations.

U Thiha Saw, a member of the Myanmar Press Council (Interim), said, “I assume the president’s authority means granting pardon and amnesty for prisoners and inmates.”

Myanmar Journalist Network General Secretary U Myint Kyaw said, “The union minister will offer a message of concern from the media over these judicial affairs to the president. They will discuss how things can be handled more efficiently under the existing judicial system.”

The jailed men’s defence lawyer U Kyaw Win told Mizzima that an appeal will be lodged with the district court in the third week of October.

Article 505(b) of the Penal Code states: “Intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility.”