Three senior journalists working for a news agency in Myanmar who fled after the military government ordered its operations to stop have been arrested by police in northern Thailand, their editor said Monday.
The three work for DVB, also known as Democratic Voice of Burma, an online and broadcast news agency, its executive director and chief editor, Aye Chan Naing, said in an email. Burma is the former name for Myanmar and is still used by some opponents of military rule.
He said the three, along with two activists, whom he did not identify, were arrested Sunday in Chiang Mai durin a random search by police. They were charged with illegal entry into Thailand, he said.
From photos published by local Thai media, it appeared that the journalists may have continued to report from a single-story house in which they seemed to have set up a makeshift video production studio.
Myanmar's junta, which seized power in February and ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, has attempted to silence independent news media by withdrawing their licenses and by arresting journalists. About 40 are currently in detention, including at least two who work for DVB.
Most of the detained journalists are being held on a provision in the Penal Code that prohibits comments that “cause fear,” spread “false news, (or) agitates directly or indirectly a criminal offense against a Government employee.” Violations are punishable by up to three years in prison.