On August 27, Ko Kyaw, chief editor of independent media Dawei Watch announced that two independent journalists associated with the media outlet, Myo Myint Oo and Aung San Oo, were convicted under Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law and sentenced, respectively, to life and 20 years in prison by a military court in the city of Myeik in southern Myanmar. Kyaw stated that the sentences were not made public until recently.
Myint Oo was sentenced on February 16, and San Oo on May 15, after being denied the right to a legal defence or the opportunity to speak in court. The court has not released a detailed explanation or rationale behind the verdict, and no opportunity to inquire about the judicial process.
The two Myeik-based journalists were arrested by the junta at their homes in December 2023. Dawei Watch editor claims they were arrested three days after returning home from hiding, with their family members reportedly being told by military personnel that the journalists were arrested for their reporting.
A statement released by Dawei Watch on August 27 claims that Myint Oo and San Oo were violently interrogated for four days in a detention centre before being illegally transferred to Myeik Prison. The outlet stated, “We strongly condemn the SAC for illegally arresting, interrogating, and detaining these journalists without giving them the right to a fair defence under the law. We urge their immediate release”.
Since the military junta seized power in 2021, Myanmar’s media have faced arrests, attacks, and killings. On August 21, two journalists associated with the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), Ko Htet Myat Thu and Ko Win Htut Oo, were killed as a result of a home raid by the military junta in the southern Mon state.
The MJN stated: "The sentencing of two journalists from Dawei Watch to excessively long prison terms highlights the military junta's hostility towards the media and the intense pressure they are exerting. The fact that the two journalists, who were arrested in a town not under martial law, were tried and convicted in a military court located in a town under martial law, indicates a blatant disregard for existing laws and is seen by MJN as an attempt to intimidate independent journalists and hinder their work. MJN also condemns this sentencing."
The IFJ stated:"The harsh sentencing of the Myo Myint Oo and Aung San Oo are clear violations of press freedom and human rights. Their trials, shrouded in secrecy and contrary to internationally accepted legal proceedings, are a clear example of the repression carried out by the junta over the past three years. The international community must do more to support Myanmar's embattled media community."