Ministry intervenes to help arrested Myanmar journalists

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working closely with the Myanmar embassy in Bangladesh over the two arrested Myanmar journalists – Min Zayar Oo and Hkun Lat. 

They will further try to communicate with Bangladesh’s government through the embassy, explained U Kyaw Zaya, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

“We’d already sent the inform letter to Bangladesh embassy to corroborate the facts of arrested Myanmar photo-journalists approved by the Myanmar government. If we get any reply, we’ll meet with the two of them. 

“We are just waiting for the response of the embassy to better understand the case. Then, we will try to help our journalists legally,” he added.

The two photo-journalists were arrested by Bangladeshi authorities on suspicion of espionage on September 7 and Bangladesh announced of their arrest on September 13. Their trial was held on September 14 but bail was rejected.

Both of them were working for Germany’s GEO magazine. The Bangladesh government said they entered the country using tourist visa  to report on Rohingya Bengali refugees in Dhaka.

According to a statement by Germany GEO magazine, Min Zayar Oo and Hkun Lat reached Cox’s Bazaar to report on the conditions faced by 400,000 self-identifying Rohingya refugees fleeing from Myanmar security forces’ “counter-terrorism” operations against the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, or ARSA, terrorist organisation, in late August.

“The editorial board of GEO magazine and the staff and photographers at Panos Pictures, are deeply concerned about the continued detention of Min Zayar Oo and Hkun Lat and the fact that they have been denied bail,” noted GEO’s statement.

They are being charged under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Section 177 and 419 of the Bangladesh Penal Code for alleged “false impersonation” and providing “false information”. 

The photographers have been accused of reporting using tourist visas. They face up to seven years in jail if found guilty.

Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN) issued a statement on September 16 and requested the government to cooperate with Bangladesh authorities for immediate release.

The statement noted that MJN had reported the issue to the European Federation of Journalists and hopes to mobilise other international media.

“We are trying to meet with the foreign minister of Bangladesh as Myanmar Press Council  get help from Bangladesh’s Press Council,” said U Aung Hla Tun, one of the presidents of Myanmar Press Council.

The Foreign Correspondents Club of Myanmar and PEN Myanmar also said they would help the journalists.

Source: mmtimes