Guwahati: Expressing concern over the recent arrest of three more journalists by the military rulers of Myanmar (also known as Burma and
Brahmadesh), the Geneva-based global media rights body, Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) calls upon the UN Human Rights Council (meeting now at
Geneva) to condemn the military junta and initiate for release of over 50 scribes along with a large number of political prisoners.
The military regime, which has been ruling the south-east Asian country, which is an eastern neighbour to Bharat, after over-throwing
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led democratically elected government in Nay Pyi Taw on 1 February 2021, lately arrested Myo Thant, the former editor
of Mizzima News from Kangye Htaung township in southwestern Myanmar. The military personnel tracked him in the township and finally picked
him up. Earlier, freelance photojournalist Ma Thuzar, who contributes for Myanmar Pressphoto Agency and Friday Times News Journal and then
Mandalay news agency reporter Win Naing Oo were arrested by the security forces. All of them are understood to be arrested under new
laws related to information defaming the government armed forces. If proven guilty by the court, they have to face three years of
imprisonments. “As the world media is focused on Taliban brutalities against journalists in Afghanistan, the Burmese junta has taken it as an
advantage to continue brutalities against the media workers. The international community should not ignore the pathetic condition of
Burmese journalists and must insist on their conditional release,” said Blaise Lempen, general secretary of PEC. Since the 1 February coup, the Min Aung Hlaing led military regime has detained over one hundred journalists for covering the anti-junta public demonstrations across Myanmar and half of them are still under
their custody. By now over one thousand Burmese nationals have lost their lives participating in various protest programs. More than seven thousand people have been arrested and over five thousand individuals are either detained or sentenced, whereas nearly 230,000 ethnic minorities were displaced since the military takeover.
Many deaths are yet to be reported, informed Mizzima chief-editor Soe Myint, while speaking to PEC’s south & south-east Asia representative
from an undisclosed location. Last month, the military personnel arrested outspoken freelance
journalist Sithu Aung Myint and the foreign media contributor Ma Htet Htet Khine from Yangon. In July, three women journalists were picked
up to add in the list of jailed journalists including Thin Thin Aung, Han Thar Nyein, Min Nyo, Mya Wunn Yangon, Myo Myat Myat Pan, Tu Tu
Tha, Than Htike Aung, etc.