Burma: Film festival to test promised freedom

January 2nd, 2012

A film festival featuring Burma’s leading artists and dissidents will test the regime’s commitment to reform. Wei Mar reports
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Burma: Censorship rules eased for some local media

December 12th, 2011

Censorship on many business and crime publications in Burma has been eased, but news titles are to be kept under strict regulations. Following changes introduced last week, 54 journals, magazines and books will no longer have to submit their content to censors prior to publication. News media will still be subject to the same pre-publication censorship, which is said to be the most restrictive in the world, although officials have advised this too will be eased in time. Images of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi are now permitted in the media.

Zarganar thanks Index on Censorship for support

October 13th, 2011

Popular comic Zarganar was released from prison in Burma yesterday. His friend, the painter and performance artist Htein Lin managed to talk to him last night, and Zarganar passed on his thanks to Index on Censorship and all those who campaigned on his behalf

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Index welcomes release of Burmese comic

October 12th, 2011

Index on Censorship welcomes welcomes the release of Burmese comic Zarganar along with thousands of other prisoners.

Htein Lin, close friend of Zarganar and member of the Free Zarganar Campaign along with Index on Censorship and other supporters, said he was delighted at the news of the popular comedian’s release.

“It’s great news, we really appreciate it and it is a very positive sign.  Hopefully the new government will release more political prisoners very soon.  Zarganar came out with jokes making everybody laugh and very happy.”

Zarganar was imprisoned for speaking out against the military junta in its handling of the Cyclone Nargis crisis in May 2008.   The 6000 prisoners who will be released today include some journalists and monks, but there are many political activists still detained.

Zarganar is reported as saying “I am not happy because so many of my friends are still in prison.”

As part of our continued work with artists in Burmese diasapora, Index on Censorship co-hosted the first festival of Burmese Art, featuring a preview of ‘The Prison Where I Live” a film about Zarganar.

A profile of Zargana is featured in Beyond Bars, a 2010 issue of Index on Censorship magazine. Click here to subscribe

Burma: Censor chief calls for more media freedom

October 10th, 2011

The head of the press censorship department in Burma has called for greater media freedom in the country. Tint Swe called for the abolition of censorship during a radio show with Radio Free Asia. Recent reforms under the new administration are showing determination to reform in the country, where the media is said to be the most heavily censored in the world. Some previously blocked websites are now available and newspapers have been allowed to publish photographs and reports about the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, which is previously unheard of.

Burma: Censors unblock several banned websites

September 16th, 2011

Censors in Burma this week unblocked the websites of international media outlets such as the Voice of America (VOA) and the BBC, as well the Democratic Voice of Burma, Radio Free Asia and YouTube. The unannounced move is the latest step taken by the nation’s new leaders to boost hope that authoritarian rule here could be softening. In August, state newspapers dropped half-page slogans accusing the BBC and VOA of “sowing hatred among the people”.

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.