Myanmar Journalists Protest Against Press Freedom Law

More than 100 reporters from Myanmar’s leading news outlets have launched a campaign to get rid of a law curtailing the freedom of speech, following the arrest of two journalists last week.

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They've set up a group called the Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists against Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law.

Under the legislation, reporters can be jailed for up to three years if they're found guilty of spreading news of "defamation" or "disturbances" over telecom networks.

"The 66(d) law should be terminated, because the government and the military have used it to cause trouble for the media and the people," said Thar Lon Zaung Htet, a former editor of the Irrawaddy Journal.

Last week, police detained Kyaw Min Swe, editor of The Voice newspaper, and Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing, a columnist at the newspaper, for publishing their take on a film on the army's fight with ethnic rebels. 

The committee is urging the authorities to release the reporters.

Over the next week, it plans to gather signatures for a petition to abolish the law, before presenting it to political leaders, the army chief and parliament.

According to a research team led by activist Maung Saung Kha, seven cases were filed under the Telecommunications legislation during the former President Thein Sein’s administration, which adopted the law in 2013. 

But charges have been filed in 68 cases using the same bill during the first year of the National League for Democracy’s government headed by the de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Kyaw Zwa Moe, editor of the English-language edition of The Irrawaddy, said Suu Kyi's administration has not done enough to amend or abolish laws from the military era.

"The government has still failed to create an environment where independent media can practice their professions freely and ethically," Kyaw Zwa said.

In addition to legislative restrictions, journalists often face threats and intimidation in Myanmar. 

According to Reporters Without Borders, the South East Asian nation is ranked 131 out of 180 counties in its 2017 World Press Freedom Index.