3 September 2018, London, UK – The conviction of two Reuters journalists by a Yangon court signals another failure by the National League for Democracy administration to protect human rights and press freedom in Burma, and stands in stark contrast to the impunity enjoyed by the military for the crimes that these reporters exposed.
Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday for violating the Official Secrets Act in their reporting of a 2017 massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State. They have been held in the notorious Insein Prison since December of last year.
“Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo’s sentence shows how the Burmese state—under Aung San Suu Kyi’s leadership—punishes those who expose the military’s atrocities,” said BHRN Executive Director Kyaw Win. “This verdict must be overturned, and justice and accountability served in the case of the war crimes that these brave journalists reported on.”
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo uncovered the murder of 10 Rohingya men buried in a mass grave in Inn Din village; their reporting demonstrated how the murders were systematically carried out by Burmese security forces.
Background on the Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN)
BHRN is based in London and operates across Burma/Myanmar working for human rights, minority rights and religious freedom in the country. BHRN has played a crucial role in advocating for human rights and religious freedom with politicians and world leaders.
Media Enquiries
Please contact:
Kyaw Win
Executive Director
Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN)
E:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
T: +44(0) 740 345 2378
BHRN PRESS RELEASE PDF
