Urgent : Myanmar Press Council denounces arrests of three senior journalists of Weekly Eleven

The MPC has no right to intervene in the case as the matter has reached the court, but it would like Yangon regional government to review the incident and lodge a complaint to the MPC. The MPC would like to make both sides accept an unpleasant situation, the statement said.

The Section 4 of the Media Law states the news media workers shall have the right – (a) to freely criticize, point out or recommend operating procedures of the legislative, the executive and judiciary in conformity with the constitution (b) to investigate, publish, broadcast information and related opinions to which every citizen is entitled in accordance with rules and regulations (c) to reveal issues relating to rights and privileges lost by the citizen.

The Section 21 says if any of responsibilities or ethics required in Article 9 is considered to be breached by a News Media worker, the aggrieved department, organization or individual shall have the right to complain to the council first.
The Section 12 states the council is the only organization which can perform its tasks independently regarding people from mass media in keeping with regulations stated in this law.

For that reason, the MPC strongly denounced charges against media professionals in use of other laws instead of using the media law. 
Director Aung Kyaw Khaing of Yangon regional government sued chief editor Kyaw Zaw Lin, editor-in-charge Na Yi Min and reporter-in-chief Phyo Wai under Section 505 (b) at Tamwe Township Police Station. The MPC strongly denounced the charge against the senior journalists of Weekly Eleven News Journal, the statement said.