recommendations to create and maintain a safe enabling environment for human rights defenders, journalists and civil society.39 27. The Government of Myanmar has made little progress in implementing these recommendations. Since the 2015 UPR, journalists and human rights defenders have faced grave threats, and at times violence, because of their work.40 Free Expression Myanmar’s annual survey of hundreds of journalists across Myanmar has found that they believe the situation is deteriorating year-by-year.41 Some have been subject to persistent surveillance or harassment by police or intelligence officers, and foreign journalists have often had difficulty renewing visas. 42 They have also reported threats regarding their coverage of certain events, including pro-military rallies.43 28. Redress for these attacks and killings remains elusive. A court convicted two individuals for the murder of prominent lawyer U Ko Ni in February 2019, but the investigation into his killing was deeply flawed and the trial beset by procedural irregularities. 44 Authorities have failed to promptly and thoroughly investigate high-profile murders, including of journalist Ko Par Gyi in 2014, 45 journalist Soe Moe Tun in 2016,46 and rights activist Naw Chit Pandaing in 2016. 47 29. Recommendations: • Ensure the prompt, thorough, independent, and effective investigation of attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and others targeted for their expression. • Develop and effectively implement legal frameworks and measures to protect journalists and media workers and combat impunity, taking into consideration the gender dimensions thereof, including, where appropriate, through the creation and strengthening of special investigative units or independent commissions, the appointment of a specialized prosecutor, and the adoption of specific protocols for investigating and prosecuting these crimes. Media freedom 30. In 2015 Myanmar supported three recommendations calling on it to bring print media laws into line with international standards and to ensure that the Myanmar Press Council could operate independently. 48 It supported one recommendation and noted one recommendation on access to Rakhine State. 49 39 145.23 (Uruguay) (noted); 144.82 (Chile) (supported); 144.83 (Norway) (supported). See, for example, Zarni Mann, ‘Detained Myanmar Journalists Physically Abused by Karen Border Guard Force’, Irrawaddy, 6 March 2019, available at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/detained-myanmar-journalists-physicallyabused-karen-border-guard-force.html; Amnesty International, ‘Rakhine journalist receiving death threats: Nay Min Aung (known as Min Min)’, 24 April 2017, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa16/6108/2017/en/; Committee to Protect Journalists, ‘Journalist abducted, seriously injured in Myanmar’, 30 May 2017, available at: https://cpj.org/2017/05/journalist-abducted-seriously-injured-in-myanmar.php; Toe Wai Aung, ‘Journalist in critical condition after attack in Rakhine’s Sittwe’, Myanmar Times, 21 December 2017, available at: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/journalist-critical-condition-after-attack-rakhines-sittwe.html. 41 Free Expression Myanmar, ‘Myanmar’s media freedom at risk’ May 2018, available at: http://freeexpressionmyanmar.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/myanmars-media-freedom-at-risk.pdf This survey has been completed for 2020 and has found similar results. 42 Sean W. Chrispin, Committee to Protect Journalists, ‘Threats, arrests, and access denied as Myanmar backtracks on press freedom’, 12 February 2018, available at: https://cpj.org/blog/2018/02/threats-arrests-and-access-denied-asmyanmar-backt.php. 43 Khit Thit Media, 10 February 2020, available at: https://web.facebook.com/khitthitnews/photos/pcb.848454685591879/848454385591909/?type=3&theater. 44 International Commission of Jurists, ‘Myanmar: ICJ marks 2nd year anniversary of the killing of lawyer U Ko Ni’, 29 January 2019, https://bit.ly/2FR883a. 45 ARTICLE 19, ‘Myanmar: Government’s handling of Par Gyi criticised at UN HRC’, 18 September 2015, available at: https://www.article19.org/resources/myanmar-governments-handling-of-par-gyi-criticised-at-un-hrc/. 46 ARTICLE 19, ‘Myanmar: Journalist investigating illegal logging killed’, 14 December 2016, available at: https://www.article19.org/resources/myanmar-journalist-investigating-illegal-logging-killed/. 47 FIDH, ‘Burma: Murder of Ms. Chit Pandaing’, 15 December 2016, available at: https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/humanrights-defenders/burma-murder-of-ms-chit-pandaing. 48 144.80 (Belgium)(supported); 144.81 (Ghana)(supported); 144.31 (Thailand) (supported). See also 145.31 (Austria) (noted). 49 143.121 (Kuwait); 145.9 (Ireland); 40 7