Myanmar Military Court Sentences Two Journalists to Harsh Prison Terms for Terrorism Charges

Myanmar Military Court Sentences Two Journalists to Harsh Prison Terms

A military court in Myanmar has sentenced two journalists, Myo Myint Oo and Aung San Oo, to lengthy prison terms under the country's counterterrorism law. Myo Myint Oo received a life sentence, while Aung San Oo was sentenced to 20 years.

The two journalists worked for the independent online news service Dawei Watch. They were arrested in December 2021 and held incommunicado for months before being sentenced. The military government has not commented on their cases.

The sentences are the latest blow to press freedom in Myanmar, which has become one of the world's biggest jailers of journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that at least seven media workers have been killed and 172 arrested since the military seized power in February 2021.

Dawei Watch condemned the sentences as "unjust" and called for the immediate release of the two journalists. The organization said the sentences are aimed at instilling fear among reporters and will have a chilling effect on independent media in Myanmar.

The international community has condemned the military government's crackdown on press freedom. The United Nations has called for the release of all journalists detained in Myanmar, and the United States has imposed sanctions on the military government.

The sentences of Myo Myint Oo and Aung San Oo are a stark reminder of the deteriorating human rights situation in Myanmar. The military government's continued repression of dissent and its attacks on independent media are deeply concerning. The international community must continue to press the military government to respect human rights and to allow for a free and independent press.