GENEVA, 29 Jan: Expressing annoyance over the continued detention of over 40 journalists in Myanmar, Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights body, urged the military regime in Naypietaw to release all media persons without any condition and delay.
According to Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM), at least seven journalists were killed and 200 others arrested by the Min Aung Hlaing-led junta since the 2021 coup, where journalists are still under detention with 11 scribes to serve long-term prison terms. The forum admitted that there may be more journalists under detention, which has not come to the light. It added that the military dictators unjustly arrested media workers under the brutal laws, like Unlawful Associations Act, Counter-Terrorism Law, Telecommunications Law, Explosive Substances Act, Natural Disaster Management Law, Immigration Act etc.
“We condemn the Myanmar military authorities for persecuting the media persons with various inhuman laws. Many media outlets have been restricted in carrying out their normal activities. A large number of media workers have left the country to escape the military atrocities. The military regime must release all detainees including journalists and political prisoners as early as possible,” PEC president Blaise Lempen, said, adding that the military dictators should also offer due financial compensations to the bereaved families of seven victim scribes.
The PEC appreciated IPCM for documenting the media casualty and detentions under the current junta that grabbed power on 1 February 2021 from the democratically elected NLD government led by Nobel peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.