Myanmar: Junta sentences journalist to five years in jail

Than Htike Myint sentenced on terrorism charges for contacts on his mobile phone

The NUJ is joining the International Federation of Journalists and the Myanmar Journalists Network in calling for the release of reporter Than Htike Myint, who has been sentenced to five years in jail in Myanmar.

Htike Myint, who had been in hiding, was arrested by the country’s junta police on February 6 when he returned to Myanaung Township’s Ein Pin town to visit his pregnant wife. 

He was detained and held at the 51st Light Infantry Battalion Base where he was allegedly tortured and interrogated for a week then transferred to Myanaung Police Station. He was subsequently charged under Section 52a of Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law for possessing contacts and call records on his mobile phone of members of the People’s Defence Force (PDF).

The PDF is the armed wing of the country’s government-in-exile the National Unity Government (NUG) and considered a terrorist organisation by the junta.

Htike Myint was sentenced to prison on 3 April and transferred to Ayeyarwady division’s Hinthada Prison, but news of his conviction and sentencing has only just been made public. 

He has been a reporter for news agency Myaelatt Athan - covering central Myanmar - since January of this year, and previously worked as a correspondent for independent media outlets Democratic Voice of Burma and Mizzima. He had been targeted by Myanmar’s military in 2021 and sentenced to jail under Section 505(a) of the country’s Penal Code for ‘incitement’, before being released in 2022 during a regime amnesty.

Myaelatt Athan’s editor-in-chief Salai Kaung Myat Min pointed out that the contacts on Than Htike’s phone were needed for his work. He told Radio Free Asia: “Working as a journalist is not a crime for which you can be jailed for five years, so we’re very upset he was charged with terrorism under Article 52a. It’s very difficult to get justice for something like this.”

Myanmar’s military has been involved in a brutal civil war against the country’s ethnic armed groups and the NUG People’s Defence Force Soldiers since seizing power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021, with independent journalists remaining a target amid a crackdown on freedom of expression. Myanmar is the world’s third-worst country for imprisoning journalists with 51 behind bars  as of  February 2025, according to the International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law.

The MJN said: 

“The military junta, which seized power, has arrested journalist Than Htike Myint and sentenced him to five years in prison under the Counter-Terrorism Law.

"This is yet another incident aimed at intimidating Myanmar's media professionals. Myanmar Journalists Network strongly condemns the sentencing of a journalist under the Counter-Terrorism Law simply for doing their job. We urge media organisations to unite and demand an end to the use of criminal charges to arrest and imprison journalists.”

The IFJ said: 

“The arbitrary sentencing of journalist Than Htike Myint on terrorism charges is yet another blatant attempt by Myanmar’s military junta to silence independent reporting and quash press freedom.

"The IFJ calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all jailed media workers in the country and stands firmly in solidarity with colleagues both inside Myanmar and in-exile who continue to report in the face of harassment, intimidation, arrest and violence."

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