They should follow the instructions of the president,” he said. “The Yangon government has to take responsibility for this failure. “The president has given a clear order to try to settle the dispute through negotiations with the Myanmar Press Council,” he said. The journalists' lawyer Kyi Myint argued that the government has no case. “ I am a reporter, and I wrote my articles based on accurate information,” he said.
“I will stand trial if the Yangon regional government wants to pursue this case further.” “The court freed us by following the rule of law,” said Kyaw Zaw Lin. RFA attempted to contact him for comment but was unable to reach him.Įxplaining her decision to grant bail, judge Tin War War Thein told the court that she decided to free the three journalists because they had a responsibility to return to their jobs and were therefore not a flight risk. The plaintiff, Aung Kyaw Khine, didn’t show up for Friday’s hearing for health reasons. Phyo Wai Win told RFA’s Myanmar Service that he will not cave in and apologize to the Yangon regional government as had been requested of him, and will instead stand trial. 9 against the journalists over an article published the day before in the Weekly Eleven News Journal about the government’s business dealings and budget.
Regional government director Aung Kyaw Khine filed a lawsuit on Oct. $6,300) bail Friday at Tamwe Township Court in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon.Ĭhief reporter Phyo Wai Win and managing editors Kyaw Zaw Lin and Nari Min had been arrested after the media outlet published an article with a critical focus on Yangon government spending. Three journalists from Eleven Media Group detained on incitement charges were each freed on 10 million kyats (U.S.