Journalists in Myanmar are facing increasingly brutal repression after the 2021 coup. The IPCM highlights the junta’s efforts to stifle independent reporting, with 15 media outlets banned and legal tools weaponized against the press.
By PC bureau
The Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM) has issued a sobering report detailing the severe repression of journalists in the aftermath of the February 2021 military coup. In a statement released on January 26, 2025, the IPCM reported that at least seven journalists have been killed, over 200 arrested, and 43 remain imprisoned. The findings underline a systematic crackdown on press freedom, providing a grim picture of media suppression in Myanmar.
Crackdown on Journalists
The IPCM’s report reveals that the Myanmar junta is responsible for the deaths of at least seven journalists, with many killed through torture and extrajudicial executions. Among the 43 journalists still imprisoned, 11 are serving long-term sentences, including life imprisonment, while others face sentences ranging from three to ten years. The group of imprisoned journalists also includes women.
The Karen Information Centre (KIC) has quoted Nan Paw Gay, the chairperson of the IPCM, as saying,” The primary perpetrators are aligned with the junta, responsible for arbitrary arrests, imprisonments, torture, and killings targeting journalists during the ongoing conflict. We demand they be prosecuted as they deserve. Given the lack of rule of law in Myanmar, our only option is to gather evidence of these crimes to present at future international trials.”
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The Karen Information Centre (KIC), an organization based in Myanmar and Thailand, works to raise awareness of the social, political, and human rights issues faced by the Karen people. The organization also advocates for the rights of journalists in Myanmar, focusing on the consequences of the ongoing military-led oppression.
Elaborating on the struggles faced by journalists in Myanmar, Nan Paw Gay emphasized the growing threats to the media: “The challenges ahead for journalists are both sustainability and security concerns. Myanmar’s media outlets face increasing difficulties in staying operational, while journalists are at risk for simply performing their duties.”
The Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM) has documented that a total of seven journalists have been killed and over 200 have been arrested by the regime, while 43 journalists are still being held in detention with 11 serving long-term prison sentences https://t.co/c8LQySxEII
— DVB English News (@DVB_English) January 28, 2025
The junta has also revoked the publishing licenses of 15 local media outlets for reporting in an unbiased manner on the violence and human rights abuses committed by the military after the coup.
Founded on December 23, 2023, the IPCM is an initiative from independent Myanmar media professionals, both inside the country and in exile. Its mission is to promote media freedom and protect journalists in Myanmar and abroad. The IPCM also engages with ethnic resistance groups and mediates conflicts between various media organizations in the region.
Legal Persecution and Media Censorship
The junta has enacted a series of repressive laws to suppress journalism, including:
• Sections 505(a), 505(b), and 124(a) of the Penal Code
• The Unlawful Associations Act
• The Telecommunications Act
• The Anti-Terrorism Act
These laws, in addition to the mass arrests of journalists, have led to the revocation of media licenses for 15 outlets, and the junta has amended media laws to further tighten control over independent reporting.
International Condemnation
The global community has condemned the Myanmar military’s actions against the press. The IPCM has called for urgent international intervention to protect journalists and ensure accountability for those responsible for media suppression. Reports from international press freedom organizations confirm Myanmar’s worsening status:
• The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranks Myanmar as the second-worst jailer of journalists in the world.
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF) lists Myanmar among the ten worst countries for press freedom in its 2024 report.
