Paris, 29 December 2021 (TDI): Myanmar is facing immense turmoil and unrest in the wake of the coup that was imposed at the beginning of this year. The country’s situation is increasingly becoming precarious. So much so that, international organizations like UNESCO are calling for a ceasefire as well adherence to international law.
In this regard, there have been reports about targeting journalists, media as well as local populace because of their opposition to the pervasive tyranny. One such case is that of Soe Naing, an independent journalist who was taken into custody by authorities.
Reportedly he died in custody. Consequently, the world is rallying to express concern over such blatant violations of international law and human rights. Audrey Azoulay, the UNESCO Director-General also expressed her deep concern about the death of the young photojournalist.
According to sources, the photojournalist was taken into custody in Rangoon, Myanmar. However, he passed away after four days of being taken into custody, though the reason for that has not been revealed. The Director-General of UNESCO stated;
“I urge an investigation into the circumstances. The detention of journalists is of great concern to UNESCO. Journalists must be free from physical harm and mistreatment. “
Since February 1st, 2021, when the military coup took place, Myanmar’s freelance journalist and photographer Soe Naing had been covering all the events that have taken place in the country as a freelance reporter and photographer.
It was on the morning of the 10th of December; a silent protest was held from 6 am to 8 am in honor of Human Rights Day. The man was arrested along with several other activists in a large-scale campaign of arrests that included a number of human rights activists.
The photojournalist was detained in a military interrogation center during the investigation period, and he was reported dead after four days in confinement. Since almost the beginning of the year, Myanmar has experienced an increase in violence against journalists. The death of Soe Naing does not represent the first incident that has been reported.
One of the significant responsibilities of UNESCO is to ensure the safety of journalists, and to this end, the agency has continuously supported a range of activities, such as raising awareness about the safety of journalists and promoting capacity building, for example, as part of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
