The journalists Kanbawza Tai News, based in Taunggyi, Southern Shan State, have been sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Three journalists and one of their family members being accused of a journalist have been detained in Nyaung Shwe’s Taung Lay Lone prison for eight months. The prison’s court has decided to sentence them to three years in prison today on 10 December 2021.

“I do not have much to say on the decision because injustice are dominated and are everywhere in Myanmar. However, using a journalist family member as a hostage and imprisoning the person is non-sense and ridiculous. Also, it is indicated that media freedom in Myanmar and Shan State has been disregarded,” Sai Say Tai, Kanbawza Tai News editor, told SHAN.

Since 8 April to 10 December 2021, 19 times of court hearings were reported, where investigating and exanimating took place until it came to a verdict to sentence the four to three years in prison.

“We could not see them in private. As a defendant witness, a family member is allowed to talk to the victims. Necessities are allowed to send once in two weeks,”  explained to SHAN by Sai Say Tai.

The arrest of those four people occurred at their respected home in Ho Pong township, and they were charged with the Section 505(a) and detained at Taung Lay Lone prison for eight months until convicting today, 10 December 2021.

Ten journalists were caught by the military junta in Shan State, and four were released and 6 are still in custody.

Since 1st February 2021 coup, 110 journalists have been arrested nationwide and 40 of them are still detained.