Media groups call for release of jailed reporters

Hla Hla Win, a video journalist for DVB, @DVB

Myanmar is being asked to stop harassing journalists and to set free 17 video reporters who have long served prison sentences in the military-controlled country by a COALITION of media groups.

The United Nations, the European Union and the Asian regional bloc are being impelled by the Democratic Voice of Burma and Reporters Without Borders together with a dozen organizations to pressure Myanmar to let go all the jailed journalists.

As expressed in a joint statement, the military leaders obviously give verbal speeches they do not intend to fulfill. Meanwhile, oppression in Myanmar continues with the curtailment of press freedom and free expression. Access to the informative internet is being hampered and journalists are not allowed to do their job.

A contender for the Nobel Peace Prize last year, the DVB, says that two of its video journalists have been jailed since last year to serve 13 years in prison. 15 other DVB reporters are in detention including Hla Hla Win who has been sentenced to 27 yearsd for interviewing a monk during the 2007 ‘Saffron Revolution’ failed uprising.

Some of the imprisoned DVB journalists may have been subjected to torture during their interrogation. That is according to the statement.