On 27 August 2024, Dawei Watch media condemned the long prison sentences handed down by the junta to two of its journalists, Ko Myo Myint Oo and Ko Aung San Oo.
The two Myeik based journalists were arrested by the junta at their homes on 11 December 2023. Ko Aung San Oo was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison and Ko Myo Myint Oo received a life sentence.
Neither of the men have the right to appeal their excessive sentences.
Despite the journalists’ right to appeal and receive a fair trial, there has been no detailed explanation of the legal reasons for their long prison sentences, and no opportunity to inquire about the judicial process.
Dawei Watch, a news outlet reporting on the Tanintharyi Region, which the two journalists were working for at the time of their arrests, issued a statement condemning their sentences saying they had not received a fair trial. It also called for their immediate release and condemned the junta's illegal detention and arbitrary sentencing of other journalists.
Nan Paw Gay, the Chairman of the Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM) said: “Arbitrarily arresting journalists and imposing severe sentences demonstrates a complete lack of judicial oversight. Journalists must be mindful that they are being targeted, whether or not they are in areas under martial law. It is also a threat to the remaining journalists.”
When Ko Myo Myint Oo and Ko Aung San Oo were arrested, Myeik was not under martial law.
According to the Dawei Watch statement when the two journalists were arrested on charges related to their reporting the junta confiscated their phones and laptops and sent them to a military interrogation center, where they were beaten and interrogated for four days before being sent to Myeik Town Prison.
Ko Aung San Oo was sentenced to 20 years in prison on 16 February 2024, and Ko Myo Myint Oo was sentenced to life in prison on 15 May 2024.
Since the February 2021 coup, more than ten domestic news media outlets have had their publishing licenses revoked by the junta. The arrest and imprisonment of journalists is a significant challenge to journalists trying to report freely and fairly on what is happening in Myanmar.
Currently, about 50 journalists remain imprisoned in Myanmar.
Despite calls from international and domestic media groups for the junta to release all imprisoned journalists they remain in detention and the arrest of journalists continues.
