BURMA: More journalists imprisoned as police round-up goes on | Burma |
(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association
have
expressed their concern for the physical safety of 15 journalists,
writers
and comedian-columnists now imprisoned in Burma as police raids
continued.
"The announcement today of the death under torture of a pro-democracy
activist, makes us fear the worst for the 10 reporters, video-makers
and
comedian-columnists, some of whom have been secretly held for several
weeks
in Burma. The UN Security Council statement which deplored the crackdown
is
to be welcomed, but it did not go far enough. We regret that the
Security
Council did not call for the immediate and unconditional release of
Aung
San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners" the worldwide press freedom
organisation said.
Several Burmese journalists confirmed that the security services are
circulating photos of demonstrators taken by citizen journalists or
foreign
reporters in police stations and among police informers. Scores of
people
have reportedly been arrested on the basis of these photos.
Burmese Internet-users say that the Internet worked on 10 October
2007,
from midday to 4 p.m. (local time), but very slowly. The previous day,
it
worked from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. then from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., during a
curfew
which is still in force in Rangoon.
Journalists, video-makers and poets arrested during the
demonstrations:
- Maung Yan Paing, writer living in North Okkalapa,
- Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, writer and broadcast director,
- Ye Lwin, poet, writer and singer with the group Mizzima Wave Band,
- Win Ko Ko Lat, reporter on the "Weekly Eleven Journal",
- Win Saing, photo-journalist,
- Nay Linn Aung, reporter on "7-Days" newspaper,
- Shin Devi, video-director,
- Ko Ko Oo, cameraman, husband of Shin Devi.
Contrary to what was reported earlier, Nay Linn Aung has still not
been
released.
Two actors, who write columns on Burmese society and the junta, have
been
imprisoned:
- Par Par Lay, a member of the Moustache Brothers troop in Mandalay,
central Burma, has been secretly held since 25 September. He had
previously
been imprisoned from 1994-2001.
- Zarnagar, an actor nicknamed the Burmese "Charlie Chaplin", was
arrested
in Rangoon after openly supporting the monks. He has already been
imprisoned twice in 1988 and 1990. The magazine "Irrawaddy" quoted his
wife
as saying that his health is poor.
Several other journalists have disappeared, but they could have gone
underground or tried to reach the Thai border.
Journalists detained before August 2007:
- U Thaung Sein, freelance photo-reporter
- Ko Moe Htun, Dhamah-Yate
- Ne Min, independent
- Monywa Aung-Shin, Sar-maw-khung
- U Win Tin, Hanthawathi
For further information contact the RSF Internet Desk, 5, rue
Geoffroy
Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 71, fax: +33 1 45
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