A Myanmar-based independent online news agency has revealed that one of its journalists, who was detained two years ago, has faced continuous physical and psychological torment in the country’s major penitentiary after uncovering human rights violations. This revelation emerged amidst a larger crackdown on press freedom by Myanmar’s military government following the February 2021 coup.
The journalist, Sai Zaw Thaike, employed by Myanmar Now, has been subjected to mistreatment for exposing abuse within the prison system and for disseminating this information to the media. His employer, Swe Win, believes these actions stem from a desire to punish Sai for his prior reporting on the military regime.
Media freedom in Myanmar has significantly deteriorated since the military overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratic government. A recent report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranked Myanmar as the third-worst country globally for imprisoning journalists, only behind China and Israel.
Sai Zaw Thaike was reportedly singled out after detailing human rights abuses by prison guards against political detainees during a Myanmar National Human Rights Commission inspection of Yangon’s Insein prison. Despite its supposed function, the commission faces accusations of lacking independence and failing to address these issues adequately. Last year, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions suggested suspending the commission due to its ineffectiveness and the questionable appointment of its commissioners post-coup.
The international perspective, including from U.N. experts, indicates that Myanmar’s justice system remains heavily influenced by the ruling military forces. Sai Zaw Thaike, arrested in May 2023 while covering Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine state, was handed a 20-year sentence under several controversial charges like the Telecommunications Law and sedition, accused of spreading misinformation and causing unrest.
His employer detailed that Sai endured physical beatings, torture, and degrading treatment like carrying pots of human waste. These abuses reportedly followed a visit by officials from the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission earlier in the year. The CPJ slammed these actions, demanding accountability and urging the cessation of abuses and the wrongful detention of journalists.
Despite the serious allegations, the military government has not issued a response. Numerous media licenses, including that of Myanmar Now, have been revoked, and about 172 journalists have been arrested since the coup, with around 50 still detained, facing charges under broadly defined security laws.
Detailed verification of human rights abuses allegations in Insein prison remains challenging, though the prison has long been infamous for incarcerating political dissidents under the military regimes past and present. Since the military takeover, reports from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners indicate that 28,693 individuals have been arrested, with 21,937 still in custody.
Myanmar Now additionally highlighted that other political prisoners, like Thet Hnin Aung, have suffered similar abuses following visits by human rights inspectors, underscoring the continued plight of those opposing the junta’s rule.
