Concern over detention of journalists over drone use

BANGKOK: The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) has expressed concern over the detention of two journalists, a local fixer and their driver in Myanmar after a drone was used near the Parliament building in Nyapitaw.

The journalists, Malaysian Mok Choy Lin and Singaporean Lau Hon Meng were arrested last Friday along with their local fixer, Aung Naing Soe and their driver, U Hla Tin.

“It is understood they will be charged for importing proscribed equipment into Myanmar, an offence which can carry a sentence of up to three years in prison,” the FCCT said in a statement yesterday, adding that drones were openly on sale in Yangon.

According to the FCCT, it is not clear whether the journalists were breaking any law by using a drone near Parliament but they do not appear to have been charged for that, but all four individuals remain in custody.

Both journalists, it said, should be treated leniently given the lack of clarity over of the legality of drone use in Myanmar and even if such use was judged illegal, it should not carry a custodial sentence.

It also urged the release of Naing Soe and Hla Tin immediately, as they were unlikely to be involved in bringing in the drone to the country or had been operating it. — Bernama