Irrawaddy-Oct 7
Myanmar’s military regime on Tuesday claimed to have filed charges and sought Interpol red notices against exile media outlets and key opposition figures. Deputy Home Affairs Minister Min Thu told the Lower House that the targets include The Irrawaddy, Mizzima, DVB, Myanmar Now, and Khit Thit media outlets, alongside founding members of the parliamentary Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), the National Unity Government (NUG), and financial backers of the People’s Defense Forces (PDF). Min Thu made the remarks in response to a lawmaker from the military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Than Than Aye, who asked whether the regime had plans to arrest exiled opposition figures, whom she accused of sowing mischief. The official said individuals behind exile media outlets and opposition figures “are prosecuted under counterterrorism, penal, and related laws, with authorities issuing Interpol Red Notices, revoking passports, and engaging international police networks under extradition agreements,” according to regime media. But the deputy minister admitted that any attempts to haul them back to Myanmar are unlikely to meet with success, saying foreign countries “in practice mainly arrest and extradite suspects wanted for drug offenses and other felonies.” During the parliamentary discussion, regime-appointed House Speaker Khin Yi, a former police chief, pointed out that Interpol does not involve itself in religious and political issues, so any cases brought by the regime need to be criminal charges. “Journalists are not criminals, and journalism is not a crime. No Interpol member would risk its reputation by arresting reporters at the Myanmar junta’s request,” said Toe Zaw Latt of the Independent Press Council Myanmar based in Thailand. “Our host country knows that many Myanmar journalists are sheltering here, yet they deliberately do not arrest or extradite us.” Myanmar ranks a dismal 166th out of 180 countries on the latest Press Freedom Index and is the world’s second-largest jailer of journalist after China. Read more at:
