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Defense fails in attempt to free two Reuters journalists in Myanmar
Posted: April 14, 2018 | Tags: journalism
A judge in Myanmar has refused to dismiss a case against two Reuters journalists accused of violating the country’s Official Secrets Act by reporting on the massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims.
U Wa Lone and U Kyaw Soe Oo have been jailed since December and could face up to 14 years in prison under the British colonial-era secrets act for reporting on the killings, which occurred in the Rakhine state.
Since their arrest, the reporters have attended hearings that have presented evidence against them. The defense asked that the case be dismissed because of conflicting testimony. The judge will decide after completing the hearings whether formal charges will be filed.
The New York Times reported that the situation has concerned international civil rights activists, who are worried about the Myanmar government’s growing control on free speech.
Read the entire article here.
