ARTICLE 19 welcomes the report of the High Commissioner. As Myanmar’s military coup wages on, the human rights crisis deepens. During times of armed conflict, the right to freedom of expression becomes critical – people rely on their right to seek, receive and impart information to ensure their own safety and well-being. It is in this context that journalists and media workers become a lifeline.
Yet, the military is continuing its devastating assault on the media to restrict information for its own political objectives, ultimately perpetuating cycle of violence. Myanmar ranks as the world’s second-worst jailer of journalists. This includes the recent sentencing of journalists Aung San Oo and Myo Myint Oo to 20 years and life in prison, respectively, under spurious terrorism charges.
We urge the High Commissioner and States dedicated to the right to freedom of expression to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Oo and Myo Myint and other journalists behind bars in the country.
Our new report Resisting Myanmar’s Military Coup details how the military has been acquiring sophisticated online surveillance technology, entrenching the ‘digital dictatorship’ and providing the tools to arrest, torture, and kill journalists, alongside human rights defenders and other pro-democracy supporters. This is coupled with measures to deny access to the internet, such as recent blocks of virtual private networks, which have been essential for allowing citizens to access independent media websites as well as social media and messaging platforms.
We encourage the High Commissioner to scale up calls to the military and other relevant stakeholders to ensure access open, interoperable, reliable, safe and secure internet in the country.