Myanmar: Htet Htet Khine Sentenced to Three Years In Prison As Military Crackdown Continues
Location: Myanmar, Yangon
Date: September 16, 2022
Journalist Htet Htet Khine has been sentenced to three years in prison on incitement and illegal association charges as the military regime continues its onslaught against the press. She is the second jailed female media worker convicted in five weeks. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) denounces the verdict and calls for her immediate release. The escalating crackdown unfolding against the independent press in the country is of grave concern and demands the attention of the international community.
Htet Htet, a freelance television presenter, was detained on August 15, 2021, along with scores of other journalists and activists arrested since the military seized power in a coup on February 1, 2021. Her contact with family and access to legal representation had been limited since the arrest. On September 15, 2022, a Yangon court sentenced the journalist to three years of hard labor in prison.
Htet Htet gained national recognition after presenting a documentary series produced by BBC Media Action (the BBC’s charity branch), which was broadcasted locally, called “Khan Sar Kyi” (Burmese for “Feel it”) a peace-promoting program. The documentary, which showed the impact of Myanmar’s internal war on the lives of people across the country, was subsequently banned.
In a statement released by BBC Media Action shortly after the sentencing of their freelance producer Htet Htet, the director of programs Richard Lace said that they were concerned for her safety and well-being. “This, and other detentions of media workers in the country runs counter to basic principles of human rights and freedom of expression,” he said.
Since the military takeover, media agencies have been systematically targeted and forced shut with escalating censorship making it harder for the independent press to report. According to independent news portal Myanmar Now, at least 12 media outlets have been forcibly shut down and 142 journalists have been arrested since the coup. The military regime also obstructed access to social media like Facebook and Twitter soon after taking over. New legislation was introduced, proposing prison time for up to three years for online content that can “cause hatred, destroy unity and tranquility,” significantly limiting press freedoms in the country.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Htet Htet Khine and other journalists reporting from Myanmar. We condemn Htet Htet’s imprisonment and subsequent sentencing. We call on the international community to respond to the plight of journalists in Myanmar. The CFWIJ has closely monitored the region in recent years and finds it a matter of grave concern that women journalists daring to speak truth to power in Myanmar remain in danger of state-sponsored persecution and legal harassment.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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