Burma’s Government Continues It Attacks on Journalists

Three journalists from the Yangon base Eleven Media Group were arrested today, and could be charged under Section 505(b) and face up to two years in jail.

Reuters report that Section 505(b) is a colonial-era law used to stop “publishing information that could cause fear or alarm to the public, cause someone to commit an offense or disrupt public tranquility.”

The journalists were named by the Committee to Protect Journalists as Eleven Media’s executive editors, Kyaw Zaw Lin and Nayi Min, and chief reporter Phyo Wai Win and all three are being held in Insein Prison.

Robert Mahoney, CPJ’s deputy executive demanded the Burma authorities immediately release the three journalists.

“Using colonial-era laws to silence independent journalists undermines Aung San Suu Kyi’s claim that Myanmar is transitioning to democracy,” said “Myanmar authorities should immediately release Kyaw Zaw Lin, Nayi Min, Phyo Wai Win, and all jailed journalists.”