NO MERCY

Myanmar Court Throws Out Appeal by Jailed Reuters Reporters

The two journalists were sentenced to seven years in prison last September.

A Myanmar court has rejected the appeal of two Reuters journalists who were sentenced to seven years in prison after they were convicted of breaking a state secrets act. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were convicted by the country’s lower court last September in a case that has been widely condemned by other countries and human-rights groups. “It was a suitable punishment,” ruled High Court Judge Aung Naing, who added that the defense did not provide enough evidence the two reporters were innocent. The defense can now make a further appeal to the country’s supreme court. “Today’s ruling is yet another injustice among many inflicted upon Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. They remain behind bars for one reason: those in power sought to silence the truth,” said Reuters Editor in Chief Stephen Adler. “Reporting is not a crime, and until Myanmar rights this terrible wrong, the press in Myanmar is not free, and Myanmar’s commitment to rule of law and democracy remains in doubt.” Before their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces.