Free Expression Myanmar met with local journalists from the Shan State’s capital Taunggyi on February 13 and conducted a survey on their concerns on media freedom, current challenges, and suggestions on making changes.
“We are conducting a survey on what kind of concerns the local journalists have on this media freedom and what kinds of changes they want to make. The aim is to submit the information obtained from the survey to the government. [The survey] is conducted to obtain evidence for advocacy when we talk with the government, which can amend the laws and policies,” Daw Yin Yadanar Thein, program manager of Free Expression Myanmar, explained.
Taunggyi Journalists Association (TJA) said local journalists from Taunggyi are still having difficulties in covering government activities and media discrimination still exists in the Shan State Hluttaw.
“Journalists have been charged with Section 66 (d), defamation, Section 17 (1) of the Unlawful Associations Act and the Official Secrets Act, which has been drafted since the colonial British administration. Provisions in the Penal Code and some acts drafted in the British era should be abolished and some of them should be amended since they threaten and oppress the journalists. Nobody can save [the journalists] when they have been charged. There is lack of guarantees for journalists,” said Ko Si Thar Hein from Taunggyi Journalists Association.
The meeting was held at Heart Beat restaurant on February 13.
