Two freelance journalists reportedly killed with guerrillas in army raid on home in southern Myanmar

BANGKOK (AP) — Two freelance journalists in the strife-torn nation of Myanmar were killed, one allegedly after being captured, when security forces raided the home of one of them in the southern state of Mon, colleagues and media reports said Friday.

Win Htut Oo, 26, a freelancer working for DVB — the Democratic Voice of Burma, an online and broadcast news agency — and Htet Myat Thu, 28, were the latest journalists to be killed by the security forces of the ruling military, which seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. DVB described the two as close friends.

At least five other media workers have been killed and others tortured while in detention, according to colleagues who keep a tally of killings and arrests.

“The killing of journalists Win Htut Oo and Htet Myat Thu is an atrocity against the free press and must not go unpunished,” said Shawn Crispin, Southeast Asia representative of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, in an emailed statement. “Myanmar authorities must ensure swift and full justice for the country’s independent journalists who are being killed simply for reporting the news.”

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Myanmar is one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists, according to the France-based group Reporters Without Borders, and ranks near the bottom of its 2024 World Press Freedom Index, placing 171st out of 180 countries.

Khin Yupar, head of DVB’s Citizen Journalist Network program, told The Associated Press on Friday that Htet Myat Thu’s house in Letpya village in in Mon state’s Kyaikhto township was raided by about 30 members of the security forces at 9 a.m. on Wednesday while their friends who belonged to the Kyaikhto Revolution Force were making a visit.

The group is one of many local armed resistance forces formed to oppose military rule after the 2021 army takeover.

Win Htut Oo, who had been living at the house since July, and a member of the resistance group were shot dead during the raid, and another guerrilla and Htet Myat Thu were killed after being arrested by soldiers, she said.

“It is unacceptable that the junta’s forces attacked and shot journalists without examining and questioning them. We condemn violence against unarmed journalists,” Khin Yupar said.

Letpya village is about 100 kilometers (63 miles) northeast of Yangon, the country’s largest city.

Win Htut Oo worked for DVB and other media since finishing journalism training early last year. Like many other young people in Myanmar, he took part in protests in 2021 against the military takeover, and went into hiding after being sought by police on charges of incitement.

Incitement is a charge that has been especially used against journalists, for allegedly causing fear, spreading false news or agitating against a government employee.

“He was a promising journalist, as well as talented. He sent news more than other freelance journalists. We are very sorry for his death,” Khin Yupar said.

She also denied the claims on pro-army social media that he had been a member of the resistance force, saying that he mixed with the group’s members as part of his duty to gather information from all sources.

Htet Myat Thu worked for local media in Mon state. He was shot and arrested by security forces one month after the 2021 army takeover while covering a protest in Kyaikhto. He was jailed for seven months and released in a general amnesty.

A fellow journalist in Mon state told the AP that the raid occurred one day after three resistance force members came to visit Htet Myat Thu’s house.

The journalist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he feared being arrested by the military, said Htet Myat Thu and a resistance member were killed after being tied up with ropes. Another resistance fighter and Win Htut Oo were shot dead, while the third member of the resistance group escaped.

The Kyaikhto Revolution Force said in its statement on social media on Thursday that two journalists and two of its members were killed, while the third managed to escape.

DVB’s report in the Burmese language said there had been about seven people inside the house, three of whom, including a 70-year old woman, survived.

Its report, citing eyewitnesses, said the people inside the house did not return fire at the security forces during the raid. It also said the bodies of those slain were seized and cremated by the security forces the afternoon of the shooting.