France condemns Burma for incarcerating journalists

Monday, 01 February 2010 21:48 Mungpi

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Burma’s military rulers for the harsh sentencing of a journalist to 13 years in prison and urged the regime to respect freedom and fundamental rights of the people.

“France condemns the sentencing of a Burmese journalist Ngwe Soe Lin to 13 years in prison after being charged with working illegally for a media in exile,” the ministry said in a statement released on Friday.

On January 27 Rangoon’s western district court, sentenced Ngwe Soe Lin (28) reporter of the Oslo-based Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), to 10 years under the Electronic and Immigration Acts and three years under Emergency Acts.

The journalist was arrested on June 26, 2009 from an internet café in Rangoon’s Tamwe Township.

Ngwe Soe Lin was working as a correspondent of the DVB, and received the Rory Peck Award for his work in documenting orphan victims of Cyclone Nargis, which lashed Burma in early May 2008.

He was arrested on June 26 last year when he was leaving an internet cafe in Kyaukmyaung, Tamwe Township.

Similarly, a woman journalist, Hla Hla Win, and her friend Myint Naing, who were sentenced to seven years each were given additional prison terms of 20 and 25 years respectively, by the Pakokku District court in upper Burma on December 31.

Hla Hla Win and her host in Pakokku Town Myint Naing were arrested on September 2009, while returning after interviews with monks in the Buddhist Monastery in Pakokku town.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is concerned about the multiple violations of freedom of expression, which the Burmese authorities are engaging in, as well as the lack of media freedom.

“France calls on the Burmese authorities to respect freedom and fundamental rights, including that of the press,” the release said.