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Two freelance journalists in a war-torn country Myanmar Three of the men were shot dead when security forces raided the home of one of them in the southern state of Bangladesh, including one who was allegedly shot after he was arrested, colleagues and media reported on Friday.
Win Htut Oo, 26, freelancer working for DVB (Democracy Voice) Myanmaran online broadcast news organization — and 28-year-old Htet Myat Thu, the latest journalist to be killed by security forces of the ruling military, which seized power from the elected government. Aung San Suu Kyi February 2021. DVB said the two were close friends.
At least five other media workers have been killed and others tortured in detention, according to colleagues who have documented killings and arrests.
“The killing of journalists Win Htut Oo and Htet Myat Thu is an outrage on press freedom that must not be punished,” said Shawn Crispin, the Southeast Asia representative. New York-based on Committee to Protect Journalists“Myanmar authorities must ensure swift and complete punishment for the country’s independent journalists who are being killed simply for reporting the news,” the Times said in an emailed statement.
Myanmar is one of the world’s worst jailers of journalists, according to French group Reporters Without Bordersranked low in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, ranking 171st out of 180 countries.
Khin Yupar, project director of the DVB Citizen Journalist Network, told The Associated Press on Friday that about 30 members of the security forces raided the home of Htet Myat Thu in Letpya village in Kyaikhto township, Mon State, at 9 a.m. Wednesday while they were being visited by their friends, all members of the Kyaikhto Revolutionary Force.
The group is one of many local armed resistance forces formed to oppose military rule after the 2021 army takeover.
She said Win Htut Oo, who had lived in the house since July, and a member of a resistance group were shot dead in the attack, and another guerrilla and Htet Myat Thu were killed after being arrested by soldiers.
“It is unacceptable that the military junta’s troops attacked and shot journalists without vetting or questioning. We condemn this violence against unarmed journalists,” said Chin Yupal.
The village of Letpiya is about 100 kilometers (63 miles) northeast of Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city.
Win Htut Oo has worked for DVB and other media since completing journalism training early last year. Like many other young people in Myanmar, he took part in the 2021 protests against the military takeover and went into hiding after being wanted by police on charges of sedition.
Sedition is a charge specifically aimed at journalists for creating panic, spreading false news or inciting against government employees.
“He was an up-and-coming journalist and a man of great talent. He sent out more news than other freelance journalists. We deeply regret his death,” Chin Yupal said.
She also denied claims on pro-military social media that he was a member of the resistance, saying he infiltrated the group’s ranks to fulfil his duty of gathering information from various sources.
Htet Myat Thu worked for local media in Mon State. He was shot and arrested by security forces while covering protests in Kyaikhto, a month after the military took over in 2021. He was sentenced to seven months in prison before being released under amnesty.
A journalist in Mon State told The Associated Press that the raid took place a day after three members of the resistance came to Htet Myat Thu’s home.
The journalist, who requested anonymity for fear of being arrested by the military, said Htet Myat Thu and a resistance member died after being tied up with ropes. Another resistance fighter and Win Htut Oo were shot dead, while a third resistance member escaped.
The Jiyikoto Revolutionary Force said in a statement on social media on Thursday that two journalists and two members were killed, while a third member managed to escape.
DVB’s Burmese report said about seven people were inside the house and three people, including a 70-year-old woman, survived.
The report quoted witnesses as saying that those inside the house did not fire back at security forces during the attack. The report also said that the bodies of the victims were seized and cremated by security forces in the afternoon of the shooting.
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