The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Malaysia (FCCM) condemns a decision by a Myanmar court to sentence two Reuters reporters to seven years in prison after they were accused of violating a national secrets law.
We view with concern the harsh punishment meted out to Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo for their part in investigating the extrajudicial killings of 10 Rohingya Muslims in September last year, and are unconvinced by claims that they intended to harm the state of Myanmar.
Journalists in all countries should be allowed to report the news without fear or favour, and we worry that such an action might lead to muzzled media freedoms and further intimidate journalists in Myanmar.
We urge the government of Myanmar to immediately release Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and drop all convictions laid out against them.
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Malaysia (FCCM) condemns a decision by a Myanmar court to sentence two Reuters reporters to seven years in prison after they were accused of violating a national secrets law.
We view with concern the harsh punishment meted out to Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo for their part in investigating the extrajudicial killings of 10 Rohingya Muslims in September last year, and are unconvinced by claims that they intended to harm the state of Myanmar.
Journalists in all countries should be allowed to report the news without fear or favour, and we worry that such an action might lead to muzzled media freedoms and further intimidate journalists in Myanmar.
We urge the government of Myanmar to immediately release Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and drop all convictions laid out against them.