Myanmar press freedom is declining in the time of the military council, said journalists on the World Press Freedom Day which falls on 3 May.
Since the military coup, the role of news media in Myanmar has disappeared and the public has lost their rights to information. Journalists said.
A veteran journalist said: “Press freedom in Myanmar has declined compared to the past. The truth is that the military council’s crackdowns lead to a decline in media freedom. Press freedom is very crucial.”
Due to the military council’s targeted crackdowns, journalists are facing many difficulties in covering the news. Due to the military council’s threats to news sources, journalists are facing many challenges, journalists said.
Since the military coup in Myanmar on 1 February, 2021, the military detained 156 journalists.
Of them, four journalists were killed. Most journalists moved to the liberation area (or) the EAOs-controlled areas following the revocation of the licenses of 13 media companies.
A female reporter from Arakan State said: “I feel more unsafe as I am female. I have heard the news that female detainees from the plain area faced sexual violence.”
The military council has filed cases against reporters and editors from Development Media Group, Western News, Narinjara and Border News Agency, which are based in Arakan State. They are covering the news by hiding in safer places.
Ko Zaw Zaw, Spokesperson of the Development Media Group (DMG) said: “Press freedom is very important. We can’t know what is happening in the world if there is no press freedom. So, media freedom is required.”
According to the report released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in late 2022, Myanmar is the world’s third-worst jailer of journalists. According to the BNI’s report, the media faces many challenges. Ethnic media are especially grappling for their survival.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG)