hidden place for the police station. The police pressured him to sign on a pledge to quit his journalist job, then dismissed both.6 2.7. Death of journalists for taking the news On December 10 of international Human Rights Day, Ko Soe Naing who is a photojournalist, and Ko Zaw Tun were arrested while they were taking photos of holding a nationwide silent strike in Yangon. Ko Soe Naing was tortured to death in the interrogation center on December 14 after being detained 4 days later. His death has become the first fatality in media society by the junta. Moreover, A Sai Kay (Aka) Sai Win Aung, editor of the Federal Journal who had taken refuge in May Khi Wah village to continue producing news, was also shot dead by the military in Lay Kay Kaw township, Karen state on December 25. He was fleeing to Lay Kay Kaw as his house in Yangon has frequently been watched by the soldiers of the junta. 2.8. Threatening Journalists and News Media during SAC’s Press Conferences SAC organized its first press conference on 16th February, more than two weeks after the coup. Major General Zaw Min Tun, head of SAC’s press team and chief of Tatmadaw True News Information Team, chaired the press conference and Thet Swe as a vice-chair. In the very first outreach, Zaw Min Tun intimidated news media publicly. He said, “the security of journalists is not completely guaranteed because SAC will take actions over news media using the restricted terms such as ‘military regime or junta’ will be banned, and the license will be revoked.” At SAC’s 2/2021 press conference on 23rd March, Zaw Min Tun warned news media for reporting or editorials related to Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), declared by SAC as an unlawful organization (referring Ministry of Home Affair statement 2/2021). He added that supporting CRPH, in any means, will not be tolerated for violating article 17(a) of Unlawful Association Act. In SAC’s press conferences, news media are wrongfully accused of reporting fake news, incitements, and biased opinions. Moreover, the press conferences’ narratives repeatedly include that news media are dangerous entities for the public, particularly influencing the young people to be confused and deviate. At SAC’s 9/2021 press conference on 30th September, Zaw Min Tun complained that the journalists were arrested because of their infringements over journalism instead of reasonably following the journalism ethics. Still and all, journalists are watched, raided, arrested either when they are covering news or from their homes at off-hours.7 Source: Surveying 17 news media and 80 journalists and facts collected from media reports. Source: Responses from SAC’s press conferences and news articles, plus findings from the survey with 17 news media and 80 journalists 6 7 Repeated Dark Age of News Media 15