CPJ urges govt to release two Myanmarese journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday asked Bangladesh to immediately release two Myanmar journalists arrested by police on September 7, and drop all charges against them.

The arrest of Minzayar Oo and Hkun Lat was made in Cox's Bazar when they were on an assignment for German magazine GEO, Juergen Schaefer, deputy editor-in-chief of GEO, told the CPJ, a New York-based non-profit, non-government organisation that works for press freedom.  

The journalists travelled to the town to report on the influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar.

Cox's Bazar Additional Police Superintendent Afruzul Haque Tutul told The Daily Star yesterday police arrested the duo on September 13 on charges of taking photographs and collecting secret state information in the bordering areas of Cox's Bazar and providing false identity to the government officials here.

The arrestees violated immigration rules by coming in as tourists to work as journalists, he said, adding that police on Thursday filed a case against them and produced them before court.

Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua said he sought bail of the two journalists, but the court rejected the plea and sent them to jail in Cox's Bazar.

"I will go to the higher court to challenge the court order," he said.

In a statement, the CPJ said it had called and emailed Cox's Bazar police, but did not get any response yet.

"The Bangladeshi authorities should not criminalize covering a major world story," said CPJ Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney.

"Minzayar Oo and Hkun Lat should be released immediately and all charges against them dropped. Both local and international journalists reporting on the Rohingya story must be allowed to work freely," he added.

Meanwhile, British photo agency Panos Pictures in a press release said Minzayar Oo is a member of Panos and that the agency is deeply worried about the arrest of the journalist.

Minzayar Oo is an internationally renowned, award winning photojournalist, whose work has been published widely and recognised by some of the world's most important journalism awards, it said demanding his release.