YANGON: Myanmar’s junta is cracking down on journalists covering mass protests, with dozens, including foreigners, being detained since the Feb. 1 coup.
The crackdown comes as security forces escalate deadly violence against protesters, who have been coming to the streets in their hundreds of thousands to demand the release of elected government leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who were overthrown in the coup.
At least 12 people were killed on Thursday, when police fired live rounds at demonstrators, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP Burma), which has recorded 69 protester deaths since the beginning of the coup. AAPP estimates that 2,000 people have been detained, with at least 38 of them journalists covering the protests.
Five independent news outlets were banned from broadcasting earlier this week. Some of their premises were raided by authorities, and had their editors detained.
“The junta might (want) to block the flow of information like North Korea does. But as long as we have internet access, their crimes will be reported anyway,” an editor from Myanmar Now, one of the outlets whose offices were raided, told Arab News on Friday.
“We will continue our work to keep providing information online and defy the junta that wants to see us stop working ... It is also a revolution to stay alive when someone wants your death," he said on condition of anonymity.
On Thursday, Robert Bociaga, a Polish freelance photojournalist working with CNN and Deutsche Welle, was detained in Taunggyi, Shan State, while covering an anti-junta protest, local media reported.
While authorities refused to comment on whether the Polish reporter had been released, a court on Friday extended the pre-trial detention of six other journalists, including Associated Press photojournalist Thein Zaw who was arrested while photographing security forces charging at protesters in Yangon on Feb. 27.
Protests continued across the country on Friday, fueled by the junta’s move to bring new charges against Suu Kyi, accusing her of corruption.
“The junta is trying to portray her as a criminal. It is ridiculous,” Sandar Min, a senior member of the former ruling party National League for Democracy, told Arab News over the phone on Friday.
In Yangon’s Hlaing Thar Yar township, demonstrators raised barricades to protect tens of thousands of protestors from violence.
“We would not tolerate (it) if they attempted to disperse us violently,” protest leader Thar Zay told Arab News.
“We have prepared how to respond to them if we see such violence against protesters here.”
