A general state of fear The interview results show the military junta’s effective use of repression and control to instil a pervasive sense of fear among journalists in Myanmar. This predominantly stems from the unpredictability of facing reprisals or arrests, whether in the course of journalists’ professional duties or during personal time, and the potential repercussions for their families and informants due to their reporting. Reports of journalists getting arrested and handed severe punishments have been widely acknowledged. “We could get arrested at any time,” as one informant (#8) put it. Another journalist (#6) explained that every car that would drive past after 8 pm instilled fear: We had curfew … It was 8 pm. So whenever a car came to my street [after then], I had concerns. The only cars that drive 4 after curfew are military. Independent national media outlet Myanmar Now (2021) reported that the “dreaded knock on the door” has returned, where security forces are allowed to carry out raids without warrants, which our data confirms (#6). One female journalist (#5) is forced to maintain two separate houses and socially isolates herself out of fear that informal contact with neighbours might lead to the military government discovering her status as a journalist. Several journalists also reported fear related to the potential consequences of their activities on their family members (#3, #5), their sources, and the communities they are in contact with (#3). These fears are in line with the heightened awareness most journalists had regarding the risks of receiving telephone calls from outside Myanmar for those staying inside the country. A citizen journalist shared that local communities are threatened by the army if stories of military aggression are shared. 4. The regulations governing curfew and martial law are constantly changing. At the time of writing this report, certain areas continue to enforce curfew or martial law, while others have lifted these restrictions. 20