Media freedom

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Myanmar: “I’m scared, but will not surrender…”

As a freelance photojournalist, Ng Maung has worked the frontlines of the protests since Myanmar’s military coup began on 1st February. Keeping low, behind flimsy barricades of wood, corrugated tin, tyres and bamboo, he photographed the hurts police and army inflicted on pro-democracy activists. Ng Maung told IFJ of the danger protestors and journalists are facing from heavily armed police…

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After the Smoke Clears, what will be Left of Media in Myanmar?

By Phil Thornton Freelance journalist Ko Wei Min* describes thick black smoke mushrooming over his home in Hlaing Tha Yar and reflects back to Sunday, March 14, when the “soldiers came in 20 trucks armed with machine guns.” The smoke that hung over Hlaing Tha Yar like a war zone came from Chinese-owned factories torched by unknown arsonists and resident…

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Journalists Arrested, Independent Media Shut Down in Myanmar

*By Phil Thornton Six of the many journalists detained since the beginning of Myanmar’s coup on February 1. Credit: Facebook Myanmar’s military has intensified its efforts to dismantle the country’s independent media and to block journalists’ ability to work. Media covering the country’s nationwide protests told IFJ, ‘legal’ restrictions, harassment, arrests and increased violence by the military is intended to…

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Myanmar’s Media Under the Coup

Journalists in Myanmar are scared. They have good reason to be. Coup leaders who took control of the country two weeks ago now have them firmly fixed in their sights. Official warnings have been sent to media outlets to caution that breaks of the amended Penal Code will come with harsh jail sentences. Emergency rule trumps reform Myanmar’s journalists didn’t…

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Ethnic Media Conference calls for the release of three detained journalists

Participants of the Fifth Ethnic Media Conference have submitted an open letter to the President, the State Counsellor and the Tatmadaw’s Commander-in-Chief calling for the release of three journalists who have been detained in Shan State. After holding an emergency session on the issue of the detained journalists from the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and the Irrawaddy, 25 media…

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Freedom House: Burma Gov’t Charges 17 Journalists

Human rights watchdog, Freedom House issued a statement condemning the contempt of court charges filed against 17 journalists in Burma. Freedom House said in their statement that the contempt of court charges filed against the 17 journalists was an indicator of the lack of press freedom in Burma. Freedom House’s executive vice president, Daniel Calingaert said. “This action is indicative…

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Media Groups Claim Restricted Access to Govt Information and an Lack of Press Freedom in Burma

Ethnic based and private media groups operating in Burma have raised their concerns on increased media restriction in Burma at a conference held in Harkar of Chin State on March 19, 2015. Around 90 media groups including ethnic media groups and private media groups from different parts of the country got together to discuss the current media law, media development…

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Journalists Jailing a ‘Dark Day’ for Freedom of Expression In Burma

Five journalists from Burma’s Unity Journal have been sentenced to 10 years in prison for ‘disclosing state secrets,’ – Amnesty International warned that it was a “dark day for freedom of expression” in Burma. The five Unity Journal journalists were arrested between the 31st of January and the 1st of February following their involvement in an investigative report on an…

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Press Freedom – Journalist Arrests Undercut Burma Reforms

In a statement released to mark Press Freedom Day, Human Rights Watch condemned Burma’s government over the arrest and intimidation of journalists and called for new media laws to protect and promote a free press. Phil Robertson, HRW’s deputy Asia director called for press freedom. “International praise for expanding media freedoms in Burma has been undercut by arrests and intimidation…

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Media Laws ‘Unnecessarily Controlling’ says IFJ

An international organisation representing journalists worldwide said it welcomed the passing of Burma’s first press laws, but raised concerns over elements of the legislation as being “unnecessarily controlling.” The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), called on President Thein Sein’s government to “continue its dialogue with journalists” in order to “develop a free and robust media” in Burma. The statement comes…

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