Satirist released, Voice editor denied bail in military defamation case

By HEIN KO SOE | FRONTIER

YANGON — The Bahan Township court has again rejected a bail application for The Voice chief editor U Kyaw Min Swe, while dropping charges against a staff writer from the paper accused of defaming the military.

Presiding judge Daw Thara Phi Aung denied Kyaw Min Swe’s application for bail on medical grounds for procedural reasons, as the health report filed in support of his release was not authored by the duty doctor at Insein Prison.

During the same hearing, the satirist ‘British’ Ko Ko Maung was informed that charges against him had been dropped, after a representative from the Communications Ministry testified that there was no evidence he had shared the article at the centre of the case over the internet.

Ministry spokesman U Myo Swe said that Ko Ko Maung was thus unable to be charged under Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, which mandates a prison sentence of up to three years for online defamation.

Support more independent journalism like this. Sign up to be a Frontier member.

Both men had been arrested earlier this month under the controversial clause after The Voice published an article satirising ‘Pyidaungsu Thitsar’ (Faithful to the Union), a film glorifying military exploits in domestic conflicts with ethnic armed groups.

dsc_7206.jpg

Local journalists gathered at Friday’s hearing to protest the arrest of the pair and call for a repeal of the Telecommunications Law’s defamation provisions. (Steve Tickner | Frontier)

The Voice had on May 14 run an apology for the March article, after the military made its displeasure with the article known to the newspaper’s management. The dispute was also being adjudicated by the News Media Council at the time both men were arrested.

Tensions at the court briefly flared between journalists and police officers stationed outside the trial.

For the second hearing in a row, a group of media workers had assembled outside the Bahan court to support the journalists and call on the government to repeal the defamation provisions of the Telecommunications Law.

The next hearing in Kyaw Min Swe’s case will be held on June 23, defence lawyer U Khin Maung Myint said.

More stories

Latest Issue

Stories in this issue
Myanmar enters 2021 with more friends than foes
The early delivery of vaccines is one of the many boons of the country’s geopolitics, but to really take advantage, Myanmar must bury the legacy of its isolationist past.
Will the Kayin BGF go quietly?
The Kayin State Border Guard Force has come under intense pressure from the Tatmadaw over its extensive, controversial business interests and there’s concern the ultimatum could trigger fresh hostilities in one of the country’s most war-torn areas.

Support our independent journalism and get exclusive behind-the-scenes content and analysis

Stay on top of Myanmar current affairs with our Daily Briefing and Media Monitor newsletters.

Sign up for our Frontier Fridays newsletter. It’s a free weekly round-up featuring the most important events shaping Myanmar