Burma

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Spotlight: Digital Rights Burma Free Expression & the Law

Burma: One lawsuit, three dangers to media freedom

19 May 2017
Southeast Asian Press Alliance

The Burmese Army's filing of criminal charges against The Voice Daily newspaper editor and a satirist is an alarming and emblematic example of the threats to press freedom and freedom of expression in the country.

Attacks Burma

Call for thorough investigation into Burmese publisher's murder

Wai Yan Heinn was the publisher of The Iron Rose weekly, whiich criticised the military and politicians. Recent cover stories were critical of retired generals who had been in the former military government and their businessmen allies.

‎ Reporters Without Borders‎21 April 2017

Digital Rights Burma Free Expression & the Law

Burmese researcher handed six-month jail sentence for criticising army head on Facebook

According to the Burmese media, researcher Myo Yan Naung Thein is the seventh person to be detained on a defamation charge since the civilian government headed (in practice) by Aung San Suu Kyi took office in 2016.

‎ Reporters Without Borders‎13 April 2017

Burma Free Expression & the Law

Planning for the future of media development in Burma

It is important that a comprehensive media policy articulates a long-term vision for a vibrant, independent and accountable media in Burma.

‎ Mizzima News‎27 March 2017

Latest from Burma

Concern over continuing harassment of Burmese editor

‎ Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Attacks Digital Rights Burma 17 March 2017
Burma urged to step up investigation into reporter's murder

‎ Reporters Without Borders

Impunity Attacks Burma 20 December 2016
Fighting words in Burma

‎ Gayathry Venkiteswaran for IFEX

Attacks Censorship Burma 13 December 2016
Freedom of speech remains illusory in the new Burma

‎ Human Rights Watch

Burma Free Expression & the Law Freedom of Assembly 12 December 2016
Writing while female: Interview with Burmese Pulitzer winner Esther Htusan

‎ Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Burma 30 November 2016
Deep concern over arrests of Eleven Media Group members

‎ Mizzima News

Digital Rights Burma Free Expression & the Law 15 November 2016
Burma's glass ceiling

‎ Mizzima News

Attacks Burma 14 November 2016
Burma's military hinders independent reporting on Rakhine conflict

‎ Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Access to Information Burma 7 November 2016
Burmese journalist Nan Paw Gay

‎ IFEX

Access to Information Burma 9 September 2016
Breakthrough for press freedom as Burma set to repeal Emergency Law

‎ International Federation of Journalists

Burma Free Expression & the Law 31 August 2016
Criminal case against IFEX member Mizzima News must be dismissed

‎ IFEX Campaigns

Burma 5 July 2016
Burmese journalists accused of cyber-crime over op-ed

‎ International Press Institute

Burma Free Expression & the Law 28 June 2016
Burma urged to reform laws restricting press freedom

‎ Committee to Protect Journalists

Burma Free Expression & the Law 1 June 2016
Burma releases activists, but hundreds still jailed or facing charges

‎ Human Rights Watch

Burma Free Expression & the Law 12 April 2016
Burmese court decision to drop journalist murder case "totally unacceptable"

‎ Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Impunity Attacks Burma 31 March 2016
Moving forward for the media in Burma

‎ Mizzima News

Burma 22 March 2016
Head of investigative journalist collective targeted in bomb attack

‎ Committee to Protect Journalists

Attacks Burma 17 March 2016
Burmese journalist fined for event marking International Day to End Impunity

‎ Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Burma Freedom of Assembly Free Expression & the Law 6 January 2016
Burma: Starting from scratch on freedom of information

‎ Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Access to Information Digital Rights Burma 7 December 2015
In Suu Kyi election victory, Burmese journalists see chance for change

‎ International Press Institute

Censorship Burma Free Expression & the Law 2 December 2015
Burmese writer Ma Thida

‎ IFEX

Censorship Burma 1 December 2015
Burma: Poet's arrest signals deteriorating tolerance for online satire and free expression

‎ PEN American Center

Digital Rights Censorship Burma 13 November 2015
Burma urged to release activists detained for mocking army chief online

‎ Mizzima News

Digital Rights Free Expression & the Law Burma 22 October 2015
Burma: Karen woman candidate struggles to make voice heard

‎ Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Censorship Burma 18 September 2015
National Human Rights Commission and UN urge justice for Burmese student protesters

‎ ARTICLE 19

Attacks Burma Freedom of Assembly 17 September 2015
Burma: Parties ordered not to criticise army

‎ Human Rights Watch

Censorship Burma 4 September 2015

At a glance

members working in this country 1

Mizzima News

Most covered free expression issues in this country

More from Burma

Freedom of the Press 2017: Myanmar

Journalist Soe Moe Tun was murdered in December while reporting on the illegal logging industry. Separately, two journalists were threatened by bomb blasts outside their homes.

Freedom House 27 April 2017
Burma HRW Report: Events of 2016

Restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and assembly persist, amid the government's failure to contend with the range of rights-abusing laws that have been long used to criminalize free speech and prosecute dissidents.As part of the military's "clearance operations" in northern Rakhine State, where thousands of Rohingya Muslims face rampant and systemic human rights violations, the authorities denied independent journalists access to the region since early October.

Human Rights Watch 16 January 2017
Military continues to put pressure on Burmese media

An officer of the Myanmar army recently filed a criminal complaint against two journalists for allegedly sowing disunity among the military. Even though mediation by the Press Council caused the military to withdraw the case, this incident demonstrates how the military continues to throw its weight to get back at what it perceives as negative publicity.

Southeast Asian Press Alliance 29 June 2016

Freedom of the Press 2016: Burma

The Broadcasting Law, approved in August, enabled private companies to enter the broadcast market for the first time. However, it maintains presidential control over the broadcasting sector, and the Broadcasting Council it established is susceptible to political interference.

Freedom House 23 April 2016

Unfinished Freedom: A Blueprint for the Future of Free Expression in Myanmar

The report surveys the rocky landscape for media and public discourse since the ruling military junta lifted the curtain on the southeast Asian nation in 2012 after five decades of isolation from the modern world.

PEN American Center 5 December 2015

Freedom on the Net 2015: Myanmar

Three men jailed for two years each for insulting religion on Facebook

Freedom House 31 October 2015

[Burma] Media reform falters at a critical juncture

As the election looms for later this year, incidents in 2014 and in early 2015 involving the press raises serious questions on the genuineness of media freedom in Burma. The situation is alarming as the state seems to have heaped all the faults and fines on the media in the past year, which has seen a media worker being killed in October on the pretext of national security. International assistance has poured into the country to develop the media aimed at lifting and sustaining the state of media freedom. However, a viable press freedom environment seems unlikely to materialise in Burma before the end of this administration.

Southeast Asian Press Alliance 4 May 2015

Freedom of the Press 2015: Myanmar

Ranked 161st in annual global media freedom report

Freedom House 1 May 2015

A day in Dala with PEN Myanmar

In Dala, PEN Myanmar experienced a rare opportunity to work with a group of 200 or so high school children from the local state secondary school, which stands adjacent to the monastery compound.

PEN International 28 March 2015

Free expression, media freedom and 2015 elections in Myanmar

ARTICLE 19 1 October 2014

Myanmar: News Media Law

This legal analysis examines the compliance of the 2014 News Media Law of Myanmar with international standards on freedom of expression and media freedom.

ARTICLE 19 12 August 2014

Reality check on media freedom gains

Journalists charged under State Secrets Act for reporting on chemical weapons manufacturing facility

Southeast Asian Press Alliance 2 May 2014

Freedom of the Press 2014: Burma (Myanmar)

Ranked 159th in annual global media freedom report

Freedom House 1 May 2014

Freedom in the World 2014: Burma

"Internet activity is still subject to criminal punishment"

Freedom House 1 May 2014

Attacks on the Press in 2013: Burma

"Draft printing and publishing law would impose new censorship criteria"

Committee to Protect Journalists 11 February 2014

World Press Freedom Index 2014: Burma

Ranked 145th in annual press freedom index

Reporters Without Borders 31 January 2014

World Report 2014: Burma

"Burma released more than 200 political prisoners in amnesties in 2013"

Human Rights Watch 22 January 2014

To young Burmese, IT's both toy and tool

Today, it’s not uncommon to see Gen Y men and women flashing the latest iPhones, Galaxies or tablets. Fun, work and politics are all parts of the nascent online life in Burma

Southeast Asian Press Alliance 9 September 2013

In Burma, youth power strives for maturity

There is some skepticism about how much influence Burma's youth movement can assert in terms of political change. Still, activists have benefited from greater access to the Internet, which has brought a new side to the online community after decades of heavy censorship

Southeast Asian Press Alliance 9 September 2013

Burma: Freedom of expression in transition

Burma is at a crossroads. The period of transition since 2010 has opened up the space for freedom of expression to an extent unpredicted by even the most optimistic in the country. Yet this space is highly contingent on a number of volatile factors.

Index on Censorship 15 July 2013

Online and in danger in Burma

Committee to Protect Journalists 28 June 2013

Burma falters, backtracks on press freedom

The media landscape in Burma is more open than ever, as President Thein Sein releases imprisoned journalists and abolishes the former censorship regime. But many threats and obstacles to truly unfettered reporting remain, including restrictive laws held over from the previous military regime. The wider government’s commitment to a more open reporting environment is in doubt.

Committee to Protect Journalists 13 June 2013