Source: Amnesty International –
In 2023, celebrated photojournalist Sai Zaw Thaike travelled to Rakhine state determined to report on the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Mocha. However, after a week he was arrested, interrogated and allegedly beaten. In September 2023 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labour after a trial that lasted just one day.
Sai Zaw’s friend and colleague, Swe Win, editor of Myanmar Now, is campaigning for his release, together with organizations like Amnesty International. Since 2021, more than 200 journalists have been imprisoned and at least seven have reportedly been killed in Myanmar. Media outlets have been banned – including Myanmar Now, which now operates from Australia – and journalists have been forced into exile.
In this piece, Swe Win describes the reality of being a journalist in a country under military control and shares insights into Sai Zaw’s life in prison.
I lead an independent news agency called Myanmar Now, where my team and I report on the most critical issues facing Myanmar, including politics, conflict and human rights abuses.
Our team of professional journalists deliver accurate reporting at a time when our country is once again in a military dictatorship backed by powerful allies such as China, Russia, India.
I used to work closely with Sai Zaw – a well-known photojournalist in Myanmar. Brave, fearless and unafraid to defy authorities, Sai Zaw was at the forefront of a number of major news events in our country.
In 2021, as a result of the military coup, our country became more violent and journalism became an extremely dangerous profession. Journalists started fleeing the country, our newsroom was raided and we were all declared “terrorists”.