Geneva: Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights body, has expressed concern over the recent arrest of a Rakhine reporter in western Myanmar and urged the military junta to release Ko Htet Aung along with other nearly 30 media persons, who were detained, arrested and imprisoned in the southeast Asian country after the military rulers grabbed power overthrowing a democratically elected government in NayPieTaw on 1 February 2021.
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Media reports from Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine (also known as Arakan) State under Myanmar (Burma/Brahmadesh), reveal that the military personnel raided the office independent media outlet Development Media Group on 29 October 2023 and arrested a reporter (Htet Aung) and a night watchman (Ko Soe Win Aung). They also seized office computers, cameras, bank-documents etc and finally sealed the building.
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Narinjara News, a Rakhine news agency, reported that a group of military personnel also went to Htet Aung’s house in the afternoon (on Sunday) and asked a number of questions relating to him. The DMG management asserted that arrest of a journalist and raid of a media office is a clear violation of media freedom & expression that deprives people’s right to information, stated the news agency, adding that both the detainees were taken to Sittwe police station.
“The notorious Burmese junta has not changed its policy to crack down the opposition voices which can make them uncomfortable in front of the international community. So the journalists are also being targeted in Myanmar. But the journalists must be allowed to perform their duty on the ground,” said Blaime Lempen, president of PEC (www.pressemblem.ch), reminding the junta leader Min Aung Hlaing that journalism is not a crime.
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PEC’s southeast Asia representative Nava Thakuria informed that the DMG, which was established in 2012, usually covers the political turmoil and armed conflicts in the Rakhine localities. Till date, five independent media outlets were shut down and many are facing legal legal actions from the military rulers. No less than 125 media persons (including women journalists) have been arrested since the military coup two years back and one third of them are still behind bars, added Thakuria.
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(Nava Thakuria is a senior Indian journalist who contributes to various media outlets including print and digital platforms of India and across the world.)
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