Press body demands justice for Myanmar photographer Aye Kyaw

Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights body, has demanded justice for Myanmar photographer Aye Kyaw, who died in military custody.

President of PEC, Blaise Lempen said, “Myanmar has faced a chaotic socio-political situation, where the military rulers are targeting the activists and also the journalists. To date, they have arrested over 130 media persons and among them, 25 Burmese journalists are still behind the bars, where some of them were already imprisoned for longer periods.”

The photographer who belongs to the Sagaing region was known for documenting anti-junta demonstrations and other activities spread across the Southeast Asian country after the military dictators effected a coup on February 1, 2021, to grab power ousting the democratically elected Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in Naypietaw.

Aye Kyaw was the second journalist to succumb to junta atrocities and was detained by the military junta late on July 30. The military authorities later informed that he was dead.

A senior member of Upper Myanmar Photography Association was cremated on Sunday after performing necessary rituals. 

It is being speculated that the senior general Min Aung Hlaing led brutal military regime was angry with Aye Kyaw as he used to post photographs taken from anti-junta demonstrations on social media, which were later forwarded by a large number of pro-democracy politicians and also uploaded to local media outlets.