YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar’s military on Friday dropped criminal charges it had filed against six journalists in cases that drew international criticism for discouraging freedom of expression. The journalists work for the newspapers The Daily Eleven, The Voice Daily, and The Irrawaddy and Democratic Voice of Burma, two primarily online news services. The Myanmar Press Council confirmed it has received an official letter from the military and expressed its gratitude. The law had been applied before to sympathizers and members of rebel groups and also to some aid workers, but apparently not to journalists. The law has been used under both military and civilian governments to prosecute critics, journalists and political activists who have spoken out against the authorities.

Source: National Post September 01, 2017 08:27 UTC