Nine people, including two journalists from the Myanmar Press Photo Agency were sentenced to three years in prison under Section 505 (a) of the Penal Code on 21 December.

They were arrested after being hit by a car on Pan Pin Gyi Road, Kyimyindaing Township, Yangon on 5 December 2021.

A family member of one of the nine arrested people told Mizzima that they were all sentenced to to three years in prison under Section 505 (a) of the Penal Code at the Insein Prison Court. they gave the names of the journalists as Ko Kaung Satt Lin and Ma Mhu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun.

Ma Mhu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun is facing further charges at the Eastern District Court under section 50 (j) of the Anti-Terrorism Act bought against her by Thingangyun Police Station, for which she faces a sentence ranging from 10 years to life in prison.

According to a family member, as a result of being hit by the car Ma Mhu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun suffered serious injuries for which she had to receive medical treatment while under arrest. She still has to use a wheelchair to get around.

Ma Mhu Yadanar Khet Moh Moh Tun’s younger sister said: “I really want her to be peaceful and happy. She has had a very hard time over the last year. I just want her to be healthy and to come back home.”

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) press freedom in Myanmar since the February 2021 coup ranks the country 176th out of 180 countries.

Since the coup more than 60 journalists have been arrested and sentenced to prison terms in Myanmar.

In RSF’s annual end of year 2022 round up report on of violence and abuses against journalists across the world it states that 62 journalists have been imprisoned in Myanmar, 10 of whom are women, making Myanmar the third largest jailer of women journalists after China and Iran.

It also points out that in terms of population size, Myanmar is by far the world’s biggest jailer of journalists