The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an independent organization committed to safeguarding the rights of journalists, has called for the release of Htet Aung, a journalist recently sentenced to five years of imprisonment with hard labor in Myanmar. This legal action followed Aung’s publication of an article in the DMG Newsroom that titled “Calls for justice on the sixth anniversary of Muslim genocide in Arakan State.” The piece discussed a 2017 clearance operation by the Myanmar military in Arakan, highlighting human rights groups’ pursuit of justice.
Initially charged with defamation, the legal system escalated Aung’s indictment to abetting terrorism under Section 52(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Law in December. CPJ has urged Myanmar authorities to allow the press to operate without fear of legal repercussions or imprisonment.
The DMG Newsroom focuses on reporting from Rakhine State, an area historically afflicted by persecution, poverty, and human rights abuses. The clearance operation in 2017, which was extensively covered by Aung, has been described by the UN as “textbook ethnic cleansing.”
CPJ’s recent prison census ranks Myanmar as the second-worst country for incarcerating journalists, a situation exacerbated since the military coup in 2021. In February, CPJ also called for an investigation into the death of journalist Myat Thu Tan, found in a military camp displaying signs of torture.
For further details, you can read the full report on JURIST.