Myanmar journalists and activists facing deportation find safe haven in third country

By Linda Khoo Hui Li

BANGKOK, June 8 -- Three Myanmar senior journalists and two activists who faced deportation after being charged and sentenced for illegal entry into Thailand have been granted asylum by an unnamed third country, according to their employer. 

The journalists working for online and broadcast news agency Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) were detained along with two unnamed activists in the northern city of Chiang Mai on May 9. They were charged for illegally entering the kingdom.

In a statement, DVB’s executive director and chief editor Aye Chan Naing said all five have left Thailand recently and were now in a safe ‘third’ country.

“DVB cannot elaborate more about which nation welcomed them, as the entire case remains very sensitive.

“More details will be shared whenever their safety allows it,” he said.

On May 28, the Chiang Mai court sentenced the five to seven months imprisonment for illegally entering Thailand, but suspended the sentence for a year.

Aye Chan Naing thanked everyone in Thailand and around the world that helped to make their safe passage possible.

“Currently the five are recovering from their ordeal but they will resume their work for DVB in near future,” he said.

Despite having its license revoked on March 8, DVB continues to report, posting updates on its Facebook page about protest and crackdowns in Myanmar since the Feb military coup, including the violent anti coup protests.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1 and has triggered nationwide protests.

At least 857 people have been killed by security forces and more than 5,800 people have been arrested since the military coup, according to the Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group.

-- BERNAMA