The violent Myanmar junta crackdown on journalists

The military regime in Myanmar continues to suppress press freedom after the violent media crackdown following the coup of February 1. Since the coup, Human Rights Watch reported that the army government has arrested 98 journalists. By the end of July, 46 of those arrested remained in custody.  

The latest victims are two journalists: Sithu Aung Myint, a columnist for news site Frontier Myanmar and commentator with Voice of America radio, and Htet Htet Khine, a freelance producer for BBC Media Action.  

According to Reuters, Sithu Aung Myint was charged with sedition and spreading false information critical of the junta and calling on people to strike and support outlawed opposition groups. Htet Htet Khine was accused of harboring Sithu Aung Myint, a criminal suspect, and working for and supporting a shadow National Unity Government. Htet Htet Khine's safety is a major concern for BBC Media Action, which is closely monitoring the situation. 

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported that the two journalists continue to not have access to legal representation. One of the two journalists, Sithu Aung Myint, was even on the blacklist of the junta. Last month, the editor-in-chief of the local news agency Lwin Thway Chinn, Mya Wunn Yan, was arrested and has been detained ever since. 

 According to the State Department, an American journalist, Danny Fenster, is being held in a Myanmar prison, and US officials haven't heard from him for several weeks. He was working for a Myanmar magazine at the time of his arrest. State Department spokesman Ned Price said his agency continues to urge the country to release him.