The Rakhine State SAC announced today that a new case has been opened against Narinjara News Agency, a Rakhine news agency, on March 11 under Section 66 (d) of the Telecommunications Law, and the process is being made to arrest them.
In the statement, it was said that “It can cause public anxiety and spread hatred, thus the Narinjara news agency’s editor-in-chief has been charged again under Article 66 (d) of the Telecommunications Law on March 11.”
“They (SAC) are threatening the news media without taking action against their own people. This is a routine of military dictators. The entire Rakhine people know whether it is true or not,” an editor-in-chief of a Rakhine news agency told MPA.
“Due to the false writings by the press, Narinjara news agency was prosecuted under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code and Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law against the author and editor-in-charge of the Narinjara News Agency, and they are absconding as fugitives,” it said.
In addition to this, “Nowadays Narinjara news agency and BNA news agency are expanding the gates, unnecessary checks, and asking for money, and the local people are worried about traveling due to false exaggeration writing,” it said.
In Rakhine, there are three news outlets: Narinjara, DMG, Western News, Development Media Group (DMG), Western News and Border News Agency (BNA), Narinjara, DMG, and Western News are the three news outlets that have opened cases.
“I am working as a reporter in Rakhine, and investigating the news since the military coup. It’s even worse with the resurgence of fighting in Rakhine. Now, I don’t dare to tell people I’m a reporter. I feel insecure,” a female reporter based in Rakhine told MPA.
On May 11, 2019, the editor-in-chief of DMG, U Aung Min Oo was sued by the Special Branch-SB and a case was opened at the Sittwe City Police Station under Section 17(2) of the Unlawful Association Law. DMG News Deputy Editor-in-Charge Ko Nay Win San and (former) female reporter Ma Hnin Nwe were prosecuted by Major Bhone Myint Kyaw from Sittwe cantonment ar the No. 2 Police Station in Sittwe City on January 23, 2021.
On December 28, 2021, after publishing the news that a white flag was hoisted on a hill of a Military battalion in Palatwa Township, Chin State, the editor-in-chief and a reporter of Rakhine-based Western News were charged by Major Bhone Myint Kyaw with 124-a of treason on January 22, 2022, in Sittwe Township Court.
