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Two freelance journalists within the strife-torn nation of Myanmar have been killed, one allegedly after being captured, when safety forces raided the house of one among them within the southern state of Mon, colleagues and media studies mentioned Friday.
Win Htut Oo, 26, a freelancer working for DVB — the Democratic Voice of Burma, a web-based and broadcast information company — and Htet Myat Thu, 28, have been the newest journalists to be killed by the safety forces of the ruling army, which seized energy from the elected authorities of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. DVB described the 2 as shut buddies.
Not less than 5 different media staff have been killed and others tortured whereas in detention, based on colleagues who preserve a tally of killings and arrests.
“The killing of journalists Win Htut Oo and Htet Myat Thu is an atrocity towards the free press and should not go unpunished,” mentioned Shawn Crispin, Southeast Asia consultant of the New York-based Committee to Defend Journalists, in an emailed assertion. “Myanmar authorities should guarantee swift and full justice for the nation’s impartial journalists who’re being killed merely for reporting the information.”
Myanmar is among the world’s largest jailers of journalists, based on the France-based group Reporters With out Borders, and ranks close to the underside of its 2024 World Press Freedom Index, putting 171st out of 180 nations.
Khin Yupar, head of DVB’s Citizen Journalist Community program, advised The Related Press on Friday that Htet Myat Thu’s home in Letpya village in in Mon state’s Kyaikhto township was raided by about 30 members of the safety forces at 9 a.m. on Wednesday whereas their buddies who belonged to the Kyaikhto Revolution Drive have been making a go to.
The group is one among many native armed resistance forces fashioned to oppose army rule after the 2021 military takeover.
Win Htut Oo, who had been residing on the home since July, and a member of the resistance group have been shot lifeless in the course of the raid, and one other guerrilla and Htet Myat Thu have been killed after being arrested by troopers, she mentioned.
“It’s unacceptable that the junta’s forces attacked and shot journalists with out inspecting and questioning them. We condemn violence towards unarmed journalists,” Khin Yupar mentioned.
Letpya village is about 100 kilometers (63 miles) northeast of Yangon, the nation’s largest metropolis.
Win Htut Oo labored for DVB and different media since ending journalism coaching early final yr. Like many different younger folks in Myanmar, he took half in protests in 2021 towards the army takeover, and went into hiding after being sought by police on costs of incitement.
Incitement is a cost that has been particularly used towards journalists, for allegedly inflicting worry, spreading false information or agitating towards a authorities worker.
“He was a promising journalist, in addition to proficient. He despatched information greater than different freelance journalists. We’re very sorry for his dying,” Khin Yupar mentioned.
She additionally denied the claims on pro-army social media that he had been a member of the resistance power, saying that he combined with the group’s members as a part of his responsibility to assemble info from all sources.
Htet Myat Thu labored for native media in Mon state. He was shot and arrested by safety forces one month after the 2021 military takeover whereas protecting a protest in Kyaikhto. He was jailed for seven months and launched in a common amnesty.
A fellow journalist in Mon state advised the AP that the raid occurred someday after three resistance power members came over Htet Myat Thu’s home.
The journalist, who spoke on the situation of anonymity as a result of he feared being arrested by the army, mentioned Htet Myat Thu and a resistance member have been killed after being tied up with ropes. One other resistance fighter and Win Htut Oo have been shot lifeless, whereas the third member of the resistance group escaped.
The Kyaikhto Revolution Drive mentioned in its assertion on social media on Thursday that two journalists and two of its members have been killed, whereas the third managed to flee.
DVB’s report within the Burmese language mentioned there had been about seven folks inside the home, three of whom, together with a 70-year-old girl, survived.
Its report, citing eyewitnesses, mentioned the folks inside the home didn’t return fireplace on the safety forces in the course of the raid. It additionally mentioned the our bodies of these slain have been seized and cremated by the safety forces the afternoon of the capturing.
