Read the RFA cover of this subject in Burma.
The independent association of journalists from Myanmar requests the release of a journalist who was sentenced to five years in prison under the laws against terrorism by the JUNT, the group’s spokesman said in a statement.
That Htike Myint, a journalist from the news agency Myaelatt Athan, is one of the hundreds of journalists arrested since the military coup in 2021. The repression that followed the freedom of expression prompted the junta to invoice journalists working for independent media with terrorism and incentives, crimes have widely criticized by defense groups.
“The junta aims and stops journalists. The arrest of journalists violates press freedom,” said independent spokesperson for Myanmar journalists Association, Hmue Ein Zaw, Radio Free Asia. “When freedom of the press is raped, the consequence is that the public no longer has the right to information, which hurts them.”
That Htike Myint was arrested at his home on February 6 in Pin Town of the Northern Ayyarwady division, the association announced on Wednesday published on Wednesday.
After being taken to the 51st light infantry base in the neighboring town of Myanaung, he would have been tortured and questioned for a week. He was then charged under article 52A of the law against terrorism, which covers the association, the incentive, the concealment or the help of a terrorist.
On April 3, Htike Myint was sentenced to five years in prison and transferred to Hinthada prison in the Ayeyarwady division.
He was arrested for call files found on his phone, the editor -in -chief of Myaelatt Athan, Salai Kaung Myat Min, told RFA without giving details on whom the journalist would have called.
“Working as a journalist is not a crime for which you can be imprisoned for five years, so we are very upset that it was accused of terrorism under article 52A,” he said. “It is very difficult to obtain justice for something like that.”
That Htike Myint was sentenced to prison for the first time in 2021 with an accusation of incentive in the 505A, but released in 2022. He was again arrested in 2024 while working in Myaelatt Athan.
Since the coup d’etat of 2021, the Myanmar army has arrested more than 200 journalists, with seven killed and 47 still in detention, according to independent Myanmar journalists association.
Translated by Kiana Duncan. Published by Mike Firn and Tajun Kang.