YANGON, Myanmar (AP) – A video of the arrest of Associated Press journalist Thein Zaw while photographing photos of Myanmar security forces accusing anti-coup protesters shows him being quickly surrounded and suffocated while handcuffs are placed on it.
Authorities have accused Thein Zaw and five other members of the media of violating a law and order that could see them imprisoned for up to three years.
The video begins with Thein Zaw standing by a road on Saturday photographing dozens of security forces as they ran to a group of protesters in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city.
Several policemen run to him and he tries to escape. At least seven surround it as it is placed in a choke. He is pushed and pushed and handcuffed quickly. A police officer with a megaphone then uses the handcuffs to remove it.
Many of the police officers carry sticks, while some have what appear to be weapons and automatic weapons.
“The Associated Press is calling for the immediate release of AP journalist Thein Zaw, who has been charged with murder in Myanmar for simple service,” Ian Phillips, AP vice president for international news, said on Wednesday. “Freelance journalists must be allowed to report news freely and safely without fear of pay. The AP condemns the charge against Thein Zaw and his arbitrary detention. “
The military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in a February 1 coup. Protesters demonstrated peacefully against the coup even as security forces dramatically escalated their repression. At least 33 protesters were killed on Wednesday in several cities, according to social media accounts and local news reports compiled by a data analyst.
Authorities also arrested people en masse.
Lawyer Tin Zar Oo, who represents Thein Zaw, said his client is one of six journalists who have been charged under a law that punishes anyone who causes fear among the public, knowingly spreads fake news or agitates. directly or indirectly for an offense against a government employee. The law was amended last June to extend its scope and increase the maximum prison term from two years.
The group includes journalists working for Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet online news and a freelancer.
The rights and freedom of the press groups demanded the release of journalists, and the Asia chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association joined the calls on Wednesday.
“AAJA-Asia fully supports Burmese journalists and urges all Myanmar authorities to support press freedom and allow the media to report the news without fear of reprisals,” the group said in a statement. “We call for an immediate end to violence, censorship and persecution.”
Thein Zaw, 32, was reportedly detained in Insein Prison in northern Yangon, notorious for housing political prisoners in previous military regimes.
According to the lawyer, Thein Zaw has been remanded in custody by a court and can be detained until March 12 without another hearing or other actions.
In December 2017, two journalists working for the Reuters news agency were arrested while working on a story about the Rohingya minority in Myanmar. They were accused of illegally holding official documents, although they claimed that they were framed because of the official opposition to their reporting.
Although their case attracted international attention, they were sentenced the following year and sentenced to seven years in prison. They were released in 2019 in a mass presidential pardon.