BANGKOK: Members of the Asia News Network (ANN) — an alliance of 24 leading media groups in 20 Asian countries, including Dawn — have expressed solidarity with three arrested colleagues from Myanmar’s Eleven Media Group. The three are: Nari Min, managing editor, editor-in-chief Kyaw Zaw Linn and chief reporter Phyo Wai Win.

The ANN criticise the Myanmar government for making the arrests under provisions of a law which allows no bail.

The three journalists were arrested on Oct 10 after their investigative stories about controversial business ventures of Yangon’s regional government angered the authorities, according to a press release on Friday.

They have been charged under article 505 (b) of Myanmar’s penal code, which does not allow the grant of bail and carries a maximum punishment of two years in jail.

The ANN said it would support the journalists — not because the regional government has no right to agitate for redress if it feels wronged by a news report — but because of the use of the harshest part of the penal code that is only suited for the most heinous crimes.

“It is the role of a responsible media outlet to bring accountability and transparency in public institutions to the fore. It must be allowed to do its job without the fetters imposed by a draconian law, especially when Myanmar is striving for a just, democratic and open society, the ideals espoused by the National League for Democracy when it sought power from the people.

“The news report in contention was not a crime, but a public interest endeavour to improve the functioning of Yangon’s regional government,” the Asian News Network said.

According to the ANN, a free press must be allowed space to function if it is to play a role in ridding Myanmar of nepotism, corruption and other ills.

The ANN members urged the government of Myanmar to order immediate release of the three editors on bail and take steps to restore faith of the press in the ideals of democratic governance.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2018