Accused Of Spreading Resistance And Inviting The Public To Hold Strike Action, Myanmar Military Detains 2 Journalists

JAKARTA - Myanmar's military government has arrested two local journalists in the latest case of a crackdown on the media since the February 1 coup.

According to the news broadcasted by Myawaddy TV, the government has arrested a columnist for the news website Frontier Myanmar, a commentator on Voice of America radio, Sithu Aung Myint, and a freelancer who works for the BBC Burma news service, Htet Htet Khine. They were arrested on August 15 last.

Sithu Aung Myint has been charged with sedition and spreading false information on social media posts, which Myawaddy reported as criticizing the junta, urging people to join strikes, and supporting outlawed opposition movements.

Meanwhile, Htet Htet Khine, reported by Reuters via Antara, is accused of harboring Sithu Aung Myint, who has been considered a fugitive criminal suspect.

Khine is also accused of working for and supporting Myanmar's shadow government, the Government of National Unity.

A non-profit international organization, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said on Saturday that the two journalists were being held "without communication" and their detention was unlawful.

"We strongly condemn the arbitrary conditions of their detention, which reflect the brutality carried out by the military junta against journalists," said Daniel Bastard, RSF's head for the Asia-Pacific region.

The situation in Myanmar is still filled with instability and opposition to junta rule.

More than 1,000 people have died in the country, according to a tally from an activist group that has been tracking killings by Myanmar's security forces.

Myanmar's military, which has revoked permits from many news outlets, said it respects the role of the media but will not tolerate reporting of news that it believes is false or may cause public unrest.

In July, a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists said Myanmar's authorities had effectively criminalized independent journalism.

Human Rights Watch has urged Myanmar's military government, which has arrested 98 journalists since the coup, to stop prosecuting media crews. A total of 46 journalists who were arrested are still being held until the end of July.