Attack on journalist to be dealt with "under military law"
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The army's regional command has said it will address charges filed by senior Irrawaddy reporter Kyaw Tun against a military officer after he was attacked while reporting on a land dispute.
The Hlaingthaya Township police said that they were informed in a letter that the officer from No.532 Light Infantry Unit will be investigated under military law.
"Yangon Region Command has replied in a letter on July 2 saying that a military officer will be investigated under a military law,"said Police Major Than Myint Oo from Hlinethaya Township.
"If the military asks for the file, we will have to hand over the case because it will be interrogated by the military officers after forming a military tribunal,"he added.
Irrawaddy reporter Kyaw Tun was interviewing a farmer in Hlinethaya Township on May 31 while investigating the forced eviction of local residents by the army.
While he was in the farmer's house, a mob of 30 people wielding sticks and machetes attacked the house, cutting the power supply and beating him when he attempted to take a photo.
"I was dragged out of the house by a solider called sergeant Aye Thein and beaten by three others. They took me to their army unit for questioning. I told them I was there to cover a news story,"Kyaw Tun told a press conference on June 8.
The reporter was then released and charged by Captain Kyaw Soe Lwin for trespassing on a military area at a nearby police station. Kyaw Tun in turn filed a case against a military officer and others said to be involved in the attack, accusing them of robbery and assault.
"We don't have a chance to explain the case to our lawyers because the military officer will be questioned by the army. If a military tribunal punishes him, he will only be shuffled to another post. We insist on presenting the truth of my case in the court where Captain Kyaw Soe Lwin charged me,"said reporter Kyaw Tun on July 3.
The journalist claims that the reason he was in the area was to do his job as a reporter, which under the current Media Law guarantees the right of journalists to report without being harassed or detained by security forces.
