Wa Lone Explained

Wa Lone
Native Name:ဝလုံး
Birth Name:Wa Lone
Birth Place:Myanmar
Spouse:Pan Ei Mon

Wa Lone (Burmese: ဝလုံး; born 1986) is a Reuters journalist and children's author who, with fellow reporter Kyaw Soe Oo, was arrested on 12 December 2017 in Myanmar because of their investigation into the Inn Din massacre. A police witness testified that their arrest was a case of entrapment. It is believed to have been intended to intimidate journalists.

The case received international attention. During 2018, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo received a number of international awards, including being listed among Time magazine's Persons of the Year for 2018. They have been the subject of human rights appeals by Amnesty International, PEN America, and Reporters Without Borders.

The 2019 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize was awarded to Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo on 11 April 2019 for their "courage and commitment to freedom of expression".[1] On 16 April 2019, the two journalists were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting.[2] [3] They were released on 7 May 2019 after a presidential amnesty.[4] [5]

Early life

Wa Lone was born to a family of rice farmers in the village of Kinpyit, in Shwebo District of Myanmar, north of Mandalay. Around 2004 he moved to Mawlamyine, cleaning and preparing food in exchange for lodging at a Buddhist monastery where his uncle was a monk.[6] In 2010 he and one of his brothers moved to Yangon, Myanmar, where they began a photo service business.[6] He has also been active in volunteer and charity work.

Reporting

Wa Lone began working as a reporter for local newspapers such as the weekly People's Age.[6] [7] He joined the Myanmar Times in 2014, and the Reuters news agency in 2016.

Wa Lone reported on internal conflicts in Myanmar under military rule, on the historic election of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in 2015, and on the murder of well-known politician Ko Ni in 2017. In 2017, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo reported on the movement of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya from Myanmar into Bangladesh, in response to actions of the Burmese military.

Inn Din massacre

Following attacks on the Rohingya people of Rakhine State, Myanmar, in late August 2017, and the burning of Rohingya homes in the hamlet of Inn Din, many Rohingya villagers fled to the mountains. On 1 September 2017, armed soldiers and paramilitaries detained ten Rohingya men who reportedly had gone to the beach to look for food. The next morning they were shot, killed, and buried in a mass grave.[8]

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were investigating the mass grave found in Inn Din. They interviewed Buddhist villagers and security personnel and gathered both verbal accounts and photographic evidence of the massacre.[9]

Arrest and imprisonment

Arrest

On 12 December 2017, members of Myanmar's police force arrested Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo at a restaurant in Yangon after inviting them to dinner.[10] [11] According to the journalists, they were immediately arrested after being presented documents by policemen they had never met before. The police made no reference to the restaurant meeting in their press releases, stating that the journalists were arrested outside on the outskirts of Yangon.[12] The pair was charged with possessing classified documents in violation of the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a possible sentence of 14 years in prison.[13]

Reuters called for their immediate release, insisting that they were arrested for their investigation of the mass grave found at Inn Din, prior to their arrest. After the court's final hearing of their case on 8 February 2018, Reuters released all the findings in their journalists' investigation.[14] [15]

Entrapment

Myanmar police captain Moe Yan Naing was arrested for violating Myanmar's Police Disciplinary Act on the same day the journalists were arrested,[16] Called as a witness of the prosecution at a preliminary hearing on 20 April 2018, he testified that he and his colleagues were ordered by their superiors to entrap the journalists by providing them "secret documents" at the restaurant where they had agreed to meet two policemen.[17] He also said that he and other officers were threatened with imprisonment by their superiors if they did not carry out the arrests.

A police spokesman later commented that Naing "spoke based on his own feelings" and that his testimony "cannot be assumed as true".[18] Naing's family was evicted from police-accommodated housing on 21 April 2018[19] and Naing was sentenced to a year in prison on 29 April 2018 for violating the Police Disciplinary Act.[20] [21] [22]

On 2 May 2018, a judge deemed Naing's testimony reliable and rejected a request from the prosecution to classify him as a hostile witness.[23] [24] [25] Naing was allowed to provide further information a week later on 9 May 2018,[26] testifying in court that police brigadier general Tin Ko Ko orchestrated the plan to entrap Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and that he threatened Naing and his colleagues with arrest if they did not "get Wa Lone". In his testimony, Naing told the judge overseeing the proceedings, "I know that police brigadier general Tin Ko Ko instructed police lance corporal Naing Lin to give Wa Lone documents related to our frontline activities in order to have him arrested."

A police spokesman later commented that brigadier general Tin Ko Ko had "no reason to do such a thing",[27] and lance corporal Naing Lin later denied that such orders were given to him.[28]

Trial

On 9 July 2018, a court charged the two journalists with obtaining secret state documents in violation of the Official Secrets Act, taking the case to trial after a period of preliminary hearings that lasted six months.[29] [30] [31] The pair pleaded not guilty to the charges and vowed to testify and prove their innocence.[32]

On 3 September 2018, the two journalists were found guilty by a court and sentenced to seven years in prison.[33] [34] [35] [36]

International response

The sentence prompted condemnation from several members of the international community. The U.S. ambassador to Myanmar, Scot Marciel, who called the decision "deeply troubling". British ambassador Dan Chugg said that the United Kingdom and the European Union were "extremely disappointed" by the verdict and that the judge in the case "ignored evidence and Myanmar law".[37] [38]

The State Counsellor of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, defended the court's ruling, saying, "If we believe in the rule of law, they have every right to appeal the judgment and to point out why the judgment was wrong, if they consider it wrong."[39] [40]

Appeals

On 5 November 2018 an appeal was filed by the journalists' lawyers, who stated that the court "ignored compelling evidence of a police set-up, serious due process violations, and the prosecution's failure to prove any of the key elements of the crime [...] Contrary to Myanmar law, it shifted the burden of proof from the prosecution to [the two journalists] Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo."[41] The appeal was scheduled to be heard on 24 December 2018. On 11 January 2019, the journalists' appeal was rejected.[42]

On 1 February 2019, the journalists filed another appeal with the Supreme Court of Myanmar.[43] The Supreme Court heard the case on 25 March 2019.[44] On 23 April, the appeal was again rejected.[45]

Human rights appeals

The case has been taken up by Amnesty International, by PEN America, and by Reporters Without Borders, who have appealed on behalf of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo.[46] [47] [48] The arrest of the two reporters is believed by Amnesty International to be "an attempt by the authorities to silence investigations into military violations and crimes against Rohingya in Rakhine State, and to scare other journalists away from doing the same".[46]

Release from prison

On 7 May 2019, the journalists were both released from prison upon receiving a pardon from President Win Myint. At the time of their release, the two had been in custody for over 500 days.[49] [50] Ara Darzi and Amal Clooney were involved in securing their release.[51]

Awards

Wa Lone has won a number of international awards, including the following:

The following 2018 awards were received jointly with Kyaw Soe Oo:

Children's books

Wa Lone has written several children's books, which are published in both English and local languages. In 2015, he wrote The Gardener, to promote tolerance, harmony, and care for the environment.

While imprisoned in Insein Prison, Wa Lone has written a children's book, Jay Jay the Journalist, edited by Shwe Mi and illustrated by Kar Gyi. The main character is a young boy with insatiable curiosity who looks for answers when plants and animals in his village start dying. The intention of the books is to "encourage critical thinking in children and introduce them to the profession of journalism."

The book was commissioned and published by Ei Pwint Rhi Zan, director of the Third Story Project. The non-profit's mission is to produce and distribute free books to disadvantaged children in Myanmar. Wa Lone helped to found the non-profit in July 2014.[6] Work on a second Jay Jay book, this time including a strong female protagonist, is underway.[68]

Family

Wa Lone's wife, Pan Ei Mon, has been his intermediary with the outside world while he is in prison. Their first child was born in August 2018.[69] [70] Pan Ei Mon and Kyaw Soe Oo's wife, Chit Su Win, have both experienced harassment since their husbands' arrest.[55] [71]

Notes and References

  1. News: Davies . Wilder . Reuters Journalists Jailed in Myanmar to Receive U.N. Press Freedom Prize . 14 April 2019 . Time . 11 April 2019 . en.
  2. News: Watson . Angus . Imprisoned Myanmar journalists awarded Pulitzer prize . 16 April 2019 . CNN . 16 April 2019.
  3. News: Trotta . Daniel . Jailed Reuters reporters, U.S. border photographers win Pulitzer... . 16 April 2019 . Reuters . 16 April 2019 . en.
  4. News: Myanmar Releases Reuters Journalists Jailed for Reporting on Rohingya Crackdown. Goldman. Russell. 2019-05-06. The New York Times. 2019-05-07. Ives. Mike. en-US. 0362-4331.
  5. News: Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo: Reuters journalists freed in Myanmar. 7 May 2019. BBC News. 2019-05-07.
  6. News: Slodkowski . Antoni . Naing . Shoon . Aung . Thu Thu . Arrested Myanmar reporters: Two book lovers dedicated to their craft . 25 December 2018 . Reuters . December 19, 2017.
  7. Web site: Wa Lone Journalist and photographer . HuffPost . 26 December 2018.
  8. News: Lone. Wa. Oo. Kyaw Soe. Lewis. Simon. Slodkowski. Antoni. Massacre in Myanmar: One grave for 10 Rohingya men. 10 February 2018. Reuters. en.
  9. News: Hughes . Roland . Myanmar Rohingya: How a 'genocide' was investigated . 11 May 2019 . BBC News . 3 September 2018.
  10. News: Rezaian. Jason. These journalists were jailed for investigating atrocities in Burma. This is what they found.. 10 February 2018. The Washington Post. 9 February 2018.
  11. News: Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo . 26 December 2018 . PEN America . 2018.
  12. News: Myanmar policeman who arrested Reuters reporters tells court he burned. 10 February 2018. Reuters. 2018.
  13. News: Reuters: Journalists held for probing Rohingya massacre. 10 February 2018. www.aljazeera.com.
  14. News: Reuters Publishes Story Of Myanmar Massacre After 2 Journalists Arrested. 10 February 2018. NPR.org. en.
  15. News: Reuters Report Details Work of Journalists Detained in Myanmar. 10 February 2018. VOA. en.
  16. News: Aung. Thu Thu. Naing. Shoon. Myanmar policeman who testified Reuters reporters were framed is.... 29 April 2018. U.S..
  17. News: Myanmar Policeman Testifies Arrested Reporters Were Set Up. 21 April 2018. VOA, Associated Press. 20 April 2018. en.
  18. News: Naing. Shoon. Myanmar police 'set up' Reuters reporters in sting-police witness. 21 April 2018. Reuters. 20 April 2018.
  19. News: Naing. Shoon. Aung. Thu Thu. Family of Myanmar policeman who described sting on Reuters.... 29 April 2018. Reuters.
  20. News: Han. Naw Betty. Whistle-blower police officer gets one-year jail sentence. 2 May 2018. The Myanmar Times. en.
  21. News: Whistle-blowing Myanmar policeman jailed for a year. 2 May 2018. South China Morning Post. AFP. en.
  22. News: Officer in Reuters reporters' case gets prison: Myanmar police. 2 May 2018. The Globe and Mail. 30 April 2018. en-CA.
  23. News: Naing. Shoon. Lee. Yimou. Myanmar court accepts testimony of policeman who said Reuters.... 3 May 2018. Reuters. 2 May 2018.
  24. News: Olarn. Kocha. Griffiths. James. Key witness allowed to testify in trial of Reuters journalists. 2 May 2018. CNN. 2 May 2018.
  25. News: Mon. Su Myat. Judge in Reuters case rejects 'hostile witness' claim. 3 May 2018. Frontier Myanmar. 2 May 2018. en.
  26. News: Myanmar Police Whistleblower Testifies His Jailing Was Warning. 10 May 2018. VOA News. 9 May 2018. en.
  27. News: Naing. Shoon. Aung. Thu Thu. Myanmar policeman who said Reuters reporters were framed details.... 10 May 2018. Reuters. 9 May 2018.
  28. News: Naing. Shoon. Aung. Thu Thu. Myanmar policeman denies planting documents on Reuters reporters. 17 May 2018. U.S.. 16 May 2018.
  29. News: Myanmar charges Reuters reporters under Official Secrets Act . 9 July 2018 . Al Jazeera . 9 July 2018.
  30. News: Pair who reported on massacre to be tried . 9 July 2018 . BBC News . 9 July 2018.
  31. News: Reuters reporters to face Myanmar trial for 'breach' of secrecy act . 9 July 2018 . South China Morning Post . 9 July 2018 . en.
  32. News: Slodkowski . Antoni . Naing . Shoon . Myanmar court presses secrets act charges against Reuters reporters . 9 July 2018 . Reuters . 9 July 2018.
  33. News: Barron . Laignee . Myanmar Sentences 2 Reuters Reporters 7 Years in Prison . 3 September 2018 . TIME . 3 September 2018 . en.
  34. News: Mahtani . Shibani . Lynn . Kyaw Ye . Myanmar judge sentences Reuters journalists to 7 years in prison . 3 September 2018 . The Washington Post . 3 September 2018 . en.
  35. News: Fullerton . Jamie . Goldberg . Jacob . Reuters reporters jailed for seven years in Myanmar . 3 September 2018 . The Guardian . 3 September 2018 . en.
  36. News: McKirdy . Euan . Tike . Ye . Griffiths . James . Myanmar: Reuters journalists investigating Rohingya killings sentenced to 7 years in prison . 3 September 2018 . CNN . 3 September 2018.
  37. News: Reactions to verdict on Reuters' Myanmar journalists . 3 September 2018 . Reuters . 3 September 2018.
  38. News: World reacts to sentencing of Reuters journalists in Myanmar . 3 September 2018 . www.aljazeera.com . 3 September 2018.
  39. News: Myanmar leader Suu Kyi defends journalists' imprisonment . 13 September 2018 . www.aljazeera.com . 13 September 2018.
  40. News: Bengali . Shashank . Aung San Suu Kyi defends jailing of journalists in Myanmar: 'They have every right to appeal' . 13 September 2018 . latimes.com . 13 September 2018.
  41. News: Ellis-Petersen . Hannah . Myanmar: imprisoned Reuters journalists launch appeal . 5 November 2018 . The Guardian . 5 November 2018 . en.
  42. News: Aung . Thu Thu . Myanmar court rejects appeal by jailed Reuters reporters . 7 May 2019 . Reuters . January 11, 2019.
  43. News: Aung . Thu Thu . Jailed Reuters journalists appeal to Myanmar's top court as rights group decries 'fear' . 6 May 2019 . Reuters . 15 March 2019.
  44. News: Lewis . Simon . Myanmar's top court hears Reuters reporters' appeal in official secrets case . 6 May 2019 . 25 March 2019.
  45. News: Naing . Shoon . Myanmar's top court rejects final appeal by jailed Reuters journalists . 6 May 2019 . Reuters . 22 April 2019.
  46. Web site: Myanmar: Reuters journalists must be released . Amnesty International. 1 January 2018 . 25 December 2018.
  47. Web site: Sign Now: Demand the release of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo . PEN America . 25 December 2018.
  48. Web site: Free Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo! . Reporters Without Borders . 25 December 2018.
  49. News: Mahtani . Shibani . Pulitzer Prize-winning Reuters reporters freed from prison in Myanmar . 6 May 2019 . The Washington Post . 6 May 2019.
  50. News: Lewis . Simon . Reuters reporters jailed in Myanmar freed from prison after more than 500 days . 6 May 2019 . Reuters . 6 May 2019.
  51. Web site: Myanmar Releases Pulitzer Prize-Winning Reuters Journalists. NPR. 7 May 2019.
  52. Web site: The SOPA 2016 Awards for Editorial Excellence - Award s Winners List. 19 . SOPA Awards . 25 December 2018. 2016.
  53. Web site: The SOPA 2017 Awards for Editorial Excellence - Award s Winners List . SOPA Awards . 25 December 2018. 2017.
  54. Web site: The SOPA 2018 Awards for Editorial Excellence - Award s Winners List . SOPA Awards . 25 December 2018. 2018.
  55. Web site: Vick . Karl . TIME Person of the Year 2018: The Guardians and the War on Truth . Time . . 12 December 2018 . en-us.
  56. News: Mayhew . Freddy . British Journalism Awards 2018: FT takes top prize, Amelia Gentleman named Journalist of the Year + full list of winners . 25 December 2018 . Press Gazette . December 10, 2018.
  57. News: Ivory-Harte . Joel . Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo honoured at British Journalism Awards 2018 . 25 December 2018 . Reuters . December 10, 2018.
  58. News: Carpenter . Heather . Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo win Journalist of the Year at Foreign Press Association Media Awards . 25 December 2018 . Reuters . November 27, 2018.
  59. News: Mohamed . Alana . Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo of Myanmar Selected to Receive the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award . 25 December 2018 . Village Voice . February 14, 2018.
  60. Web site: Osborn Elliott Prize For Excellence in Journalism on Asia . Asia Society . 25 December 2018.
  61. News: Imprisoned Reuters Reporters Win Asia Society Osborn Elliott Prize for Stories on Anti-Rohingya Violence in Myanmar . 25 December 2018 . WN.com . 2018-05-03.
  62. Web site: Winners 2018 . One World Media . 25 December 2018.
  63. News: Perez . Alan . James Foley Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism awarded to two Reuters journalists sentenced to prison in Myanmar . 25 December 2018 . The Daily Northwestern . September 8, 2018.
  64. News: Jailed Reuters reporters receive IRE's Don Bolles Medal for courage . 25 December 2018 . IRE . June 7, 2018.
  65. News: McCarren . Bill . National Press Club Gala Puts Focus on Press Freedom; Historic Event Convenes Journalism Leaders . 26 December 2018 . MarketWatch . November 28, 2018.
  66. News: National Press Club recognizes Reuters journalists with Aubuchon Press Freedom Award . 26 December 2018 . Reuters . February 28, 2018.
  67. News: Watson . Angus . Imprisoned Myanmar journalists awarded Pulitzer prize . . April 16, 2019.
  68. News: Lee . Sing . Turning the page with a new generation of children's books . 25 December 2018 . Frontier (Myanmar) . August 22, 2017 .
  69. News: Kermeliotis . Teo . From Myanmar jail, Wa Lone pens children's book on exposing truth . 25 December 2018 . Al Jazeera . 11 Dec 2018.
  70. News: Goldberg . Jacob . 'I struggle without him': wife of jailed Reuters reporter marks grim milestone . 25 December 2018 . The Guardian . 11 December 2018.
  71. News: Barron . Laignee . 'Please Have Mercy.' The Wives of Reuters Journalists Jailed in Myanmar Speak Out . 25 December 2018 . Time . December 11, 2018.

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