8/20/22, 9:09 PM Figures for past year’s persecution of journalism in Myanmar | RSF VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND JUSTICE SYSTEM INDEPENDENCE AND PLURALISM NEWS Figures for past year’s persecution of journalism in Myanmar ORGANISATION:  RSF_en One year after the armed forces seized power in Myanmar, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) offers a damning overview of the scale of the military junta’s press freedom violations. In order to hide its massacres of civilians and tighten its grip on the country, the junta has arrested, jailed, tortured and even summarily eliminated journalists who could undermine its control over news and information. 115 journalists arrested In the past year, at least 115 journalists have been arrested while covering protests or after being tracked down by the intelligence services. Some were arrested at their homes and violence was often used. At least 15 media professionals, including the woman journalist Yin Yin Thein, were badly beaten and sustained injuries when arrested. 57 journalists arbitrarily jailed 57 journalists – nine of them women – are currently detained arbitrarily, according to RSF’s press freedom barometer. Very little information emerges from Myanmar’s prisons, where conditions are said to be extremely harsh. In most cases, the families of detainees receive no news of their loved ones. Myanmar is now the world’s second biggest jailer of journalists, second only to China. 14 journalists convicted Of all the journalists currently in prison, only 14 have been tried and convicted. All 14 of them were convicted under section 505a of the penal code, which penalises information liable to endanger the interests of the armed forces. https://rsf.org/en/figures-past-year-s-persecution-journalism-myanmar 1/4