Posts Tagged ‘Burma’

Burma: State newspapers drop slogans attacking BBC, VOA

August 19th, 2011

In what has been seen to signal a further softening of the military government’s stance, three Burmese state newspapers on Wednesday dropped half-page slogans accusing the BBC and the Voice of America (VOA) of “sowing hatred among the people”. The slogans have been a fixture in official newspapers since a bloody army crackdown on monk-led protests in August 2007.

Burma: Video reporter faces additional charge

August 12th, 2011

An additional charge has been brought against Sithu Zeya, a Democratic Voice of Burma video reporter who has been detained since April 2010 and is already serving an eight-year sentence for filming damage caused by a grenade explosion in Rangoon. The reporter, 21, could now receive an additional sentence of 7 to 15 years in prison on a charge of circulating material online “that can damage tranquillity and unity in the government” under the Electronic Act. His mother has said that the confession her son gave to the police under torture that led to his first conviction will be used to sentence him for this new charge. Burma is ranked 174th out of 178 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index.

Burma: Censorship laws to be relaxed

April 4th, 2011

The Burmese government’s censorship board director, Tint Swe, has announced that the country’s censorship policy will be relaxed in accordance with its new constitution. Journal and magazine publishers will no longer need to submit their articles to the censors for approval before publication. However, news stories and articles about politics and business will still need prior approval.

Myanmar Times editor detained in Burma

February 14th, 2011

Ross Dunkley, the Australian editor-in-chief and co-owner of the English daily newspaper Myanmar Times, has been held in Burma on immigration and drug possession charges. His arrest comes at a time when he is engaged in a dispute about the future of the newspaper with his Burmese partner, Tin Tun Oo.

Burma: Senior reporter jailed for 13 years

February 10th, 2011

Maung Maung Zeya, a senior photo and video journalist for the Democratic Voice of Burma has been sentenced to 13 years in prison. He had led a team of journalists who smuggled video footage out of Burma until he was arrested last April photographing the aftermath of bomb attacks in Rangoon. His sentencing comes two months after his son, Sithu Zeya, was imprisoned for eight years on similar charges, and just days after blogger, Kaung Myat Hlaing, had 10 years added to his original two-year prison sentence.

Aung San Suu Kyi free!

November 13th, 2010

The Burmese pro-democracy activist has been freed from house arrest. Here, we republish an article first published in Index on Censorship in 1993

PLUS: Read Aung San Suu Kyi’s speech “Freedom From Fear”, here
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Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi loses appeal

November 11th, 2010

The latest appeal by Aung San Suu Kyi against her house arrest has been rejected by Burma’s top court. There is still hope that she will be released because her current detention order expires this weekend. Her youngest son has been permitted a visa to enter the country, leading to speculation he will be allowed to see his mother for the first time in 10 years. However, Suu Kyi’s lawyer has said she would not accept a release with conditions set to inhibit her political activity.

Burma: Japanese journalist deported

November 10th, 2010

A Japanese journalist, who was detained while trying to slip across the Thai border, has been deported back to Thailand. Toru Yamaji, who works for the Tokyo-based AFP news agency, had been trying to cover the polling in the eastern border town Myawaddy, where deadly clashes between rebels and the army erupted the following day. The junta had banned international observers and foreign journalists from covering the 7 November election.