Previous 11 / 11 Next

Update on Journalism and Media in Myanmar July - September 2023 “Journalist” in this monitoring work likewise includes citizen journalists, given that many news organisations in Myanmar work with them on a regular basis. In the Myanmar context, the term “citizen journalist” typically refers to a person who contributes news – whether in the form of raw content, including photographs or video, or full stories. He or she may or may not be paid for contributions and may or may not have had some news training. After the 2021 coup, news outlets began using material sent voluntarily by citizen journalists after restrictions and arrests made news-related activities dangerous for professional journalists. 9

Select target paragraph3

● ● ●

Update on Journalism and Media in Myanmar

Report

Preview

Language

English

Topic

Digital Rights
Digital Surveillance
Disinformation
Information Operation
Military Coup

Author(s)

Athan

Date Published: Dec 14, 2023

Abstract: Highlights Three journalists were arrested and one photojournalist was convicted under Myanmar’s military regime during July to September 2023. This photojournalist, who works for Myanmar Now, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted under four charges in September. This is the longest combined prison term handed down to a journalist since the military coup of February 2021. The conviction of another individual, The Irrawaddy’s news publisher, is included in this quarter’s update, but he was sentenced at the end of June. During this quarter, there were reports of attacks on two other news persons - a reporter and a former journalist – in northern Kachin state, where insecurity has been running high amid the escalation of decades-long conflict between the Myanmar military and armed ethnic organisations. The motives behind these two attacks are unknown. The reporter sustained injuries after the motorcycle he was riding on was hit by a car, while the former journalist died from gunshots fired at him while he was on his motorbike. One former editor, in detention since April, was released in July. As of end-September 2023, 59 journalists remained behind bars. Since January 2023, a total of eight journalists have been arrested and six journalists have been convicted. The majority of the convictions continue to be under Section 505A of the Myanmar Penal Code, which penalises incitement against government and security forces, causing fear among the public and spreading false news. Journalists continue to work in dangerous situations in Myanmar’s continuing conflict, where they face challenges in physical and digital safety, gathering news, and economic security. In Rakhine, there are fresh signs that the space for news work is shrinking further in a region whose media community faced restrictions even before the coup. In the third quarter of 2023, journalists, along with civil society and other activists, were the subject of tighter security checks, more frequent random checks and a stepped-up hunt for them after the Rakhine regional authorities circulated a list of individuals wanted for a mix of security-related crimes.

Link: source

Primary Documents

Update-on-Journalism-and-Media-in-Myanmar.pdf
English
Download View

Myanmar Internet Project

Select target paragraph3

Update on Journalism and Media in Myanmar

Primary Documents

Notifications