Aung Thura, a reporter with BBC Burmese has been taken away by plainclothes men while reporting outside a court in the capital, Naypyitaw. Aung Thura is an accredited BBC journalist with many years of reporting experience covering events in Naypyitaw.
Than Htike Aung a reporter with Mizzima, a local news organization was also taken away with Aung Thura. The men who detained the journalists took them at midday local time in an unmarked vehicle and BBC has been unable to contact Aung Thura since then.
In its statement, BBC said, “The BBC takes the safety of all its staff in Myanmar very seriously and we are doing everything we can to find Aung Thura.” “We call on the authorities to help locate him and confirm that he is safe. Aung Thura is an accredited BBC journalist with many years of reporting experience covering events in Naypyitaw,” added BBC.
The military regime so far revoked the licenses of 5 local broadcasting services, raided newsrooms, and arrested journalists covering protest news. Forty journalists have been arrested since the military coup and sixteen are still in custody.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s government was ousted by a military coup on Feb 1 and Myanmar has been in turmoil since then. Thousands of people poured into the streets in protest and the junta resorted to a brutal crackdown against the movement.
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