Seven Years imprisonment in Myanmar for two Reuters journalists

UN and European Union asked immediate release of both journalists

The two Reuters journalists in Myanmar court have been sentenced 7 years imprisionment in the country’s secrecy violation case. Nam Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo,28, both were charged of taking the secret documents violating country's secrecy law.

These journalists had been arrested on December 12 last year when they were investigating the murders of 10 Rohingyas Muslims and the crime committed by the police and the Army in Rakhain territory of Myanmar. The government of Myanmar kept on refusing the committed such crime, but after the arrest the government had accepted that the Army had killed 10 of Rohingyas males including youth in the village.

Dan Chugg, British Ambassdor, has expressed a disappointment over the decision of Myanmar court. UN, Europian Union, and the countries like America, Canada, and Australia have asked the Myanmar government to release immediately these journalists.

Stephen J Edler, Reuters’ Editor, said, “ It is a bad day for Myanmar, Wa Lon and Kyo So O, Reuters’ journalists and for presses.” Where the punished journalist, Wa lon said that he did nothing wrong and he felt no fear. Lon said, “I rely upon justice, freedom and democracy.”

Before being arrested by the other officers, two police officers had entrusted these documents them in a restaurant, both journalists had stated before the court during the hearing of this case.

The police officers had added in response that it was their plan to catch the journalists. It was a trap against the journalists to stop the reporting of Rohingya Muslims massacre.