Myanmar Lawyer Network to assist Myanmar Journalist Network's protest

Myanmar Lawyer Network to assist Myanmar Journalist Network's protest

Published on Sunday, 05 January 2014 15:18

 A placard which will be used during Myanmar Journalist Network's protest (Photo - EMG)

Myanmar Lawyer Network will help Myanmar Journalist Network in their quest to raise awareness about the controversies surrounding the imprisment of a journalist.

"WAN-IFRA has also sent a request letter to President U Thein Sein. If you look at Ma Khine's case, it is evident that the judiciary has been influenced by the executive sector. As she has been imprisoned for an incident that can't be used in sending people to prison, we are objecting. We'll continue to work within the law for Ma Khine to be freed," said high court lawyer Aye Min from Myanmar Lawyer Network.

The reason for the protest is to object to the three-month imprisonment of Eleven Media's reporter Ma Khine by Judge Mya Min Han of Loikaw Township Court. She was convicted of trespassing. Normal people are rarely sentenced to prison under these charges and she was sentenced to prison while she was working as a journalist to get news for the public. So the Myanmar Journalist Network plans to stage the protest to call for the authorities to review the existing judiciary.

"We don't differentiate between publication houses. It's like when we hold our first protest to object to the unlimited suspension on a journal. In this case, she is a regional reporter. It is difficult to get news in the regions. It's more difficult than in big cities like Yangon and Mandalay. Another thing is that she was imprisoned on charges that have rarely been used in sentencing people to prison while she was covering news.  The judiciary is wrong here. We want them to review this," said Myint Kyaw, secretary of Myanmar Journalist Network.

The MJN has received permission from the authorities from Kyauktada, Bahan, Mingalar Taungnyunt, and Tarmwe townships and was still waiting for permission from the authorities from Dagon township yesterday.

They will shout the slogans "We don't want any threats to press freedom", "The right to freely obtain information ….is our right" and "To get a fair judiciary….do it immediately" in five townships in Yangon from 9 am to 12 pm.

"I see this as a warning against journalists because a journalist has been imprisoned under charges that are rarely used in sending people to prison. That's why we have decided to stage the protest," Myint Kyaw added.

Myanmar Journalist Union, PEN Myanmar, and journalists from Mandalay have also voiced their objections against the imprisonment of reporter Ma Khine. The Associations for Writers and Journalists from Myawady Township have also condemned the reporter's imprisonment in their statement.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/myanmar-lawyer-network-to-assist-myanmar-journalist-networks-protest/