Myanmar editor jailed for 2 years over coronavirus error

Agence France-Presse

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Myanmar editor jailed for 2 years over coronavirus error

AFP

Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson brands the move a 'recipe for disaster' and warns against denying people the information they need

YANGON, Myanmar – A Myanmar news editor has been jailed for two years after his agency reported a coronavirus death that turned out to be false, his lawyer said Friday, May 22.

The country has only 199 confirmed cases of coronavirus and seen 6 deaths, although the low numbers tested mean experts fear the true figures are far higher.

Chief editor Zaw Ye Htet was arrested April 13, the same day his online news agency Dae Pyaw published an erroneous article alleging there had been a death due to the COVID-19 in eastern Karen state.

On May 20, just one week later, he faced trial, an unusually swift process in a country where suspects often languish for months behind bars before being convicted.

“He was sentenced under section 505(b) to two years in jail,” by the court in Karen state, his lawyer Myint Thuzar Maw said Friday.

The notorious Section 505(b) is a vaguely-worded law, often thrown at journalists and activists for making any statement that cause fear or alarm.

“We’ll appeal this unfair decision,” Zaw Ye Htet’s wife Phyu Phyu Win told Agence France-Presse by phone.

It is not clear why the trial took place so quickly.

Karen state borders Thailand and saw more than 16,000 returning Myanmar migrant workers early April after the pandemic caused huge job losses in Thailand and borders started to close.

The state has so far only reported two cases of coronavirus and no deaths.

The government has warned people will be prosecuted for spreading misinformation about the pandemic, but this is the first known case.

It is also drafting new legislation on the control of communicable diseases that would make it even easier to criminalize reporters deemed to be causing public panic.

Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson branded the move a “recipe for disaster” and warned against denying people the information they need.

Under international law, restrictions to freedom of speech must be carefully spelt out, he added. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!