MYANMAR is facing questions over freedom of expression after the country’s powerful military filed nearly 50 suits against critical journalists, individuals and organisations.
The military has accused the defendants of defamation, which was allegedly committed during the civilian-led government’s nearly four years in office, Radio Free Asia (RFA) said.
“About 65 per cent of the cases were filed by military officers, while seven others were filed by middlemen, and a dozen more were filed by the Yangon Regional Military Command,” said RFA, quoting the Athan youth movement.
“In most of the cases, the accused are activists. The military’s suits are to limit free speech,” said Athan researcher, Ye Wai Phyo Aung.
“They have filed many suits since 2006. Last year, they filed suits against journalists for covering the Rakhine issue.”
The Irrawaddy portal said the military used the Telecommunications Law, Penal Code, laws or Article 66 (D) to protect privacy and security and the Unlawful Association Act as the basis of their suits.
“Most military suits were in response to criticism about human rights violations by the armed forces and demands for amendments to the military-drafted 2008 Constitution,” the portal said.
Critics voiced disappointment as the leader of the civilian-led government is Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi was also criticised for being seemingly unmoved by the accusations of genocide, which her government committed against the Rohingya minority.
The accusations covered indiscriminate killings, mass rape, torture and village burnings, which left thousands dead and forced more than 740,000 members of the minority group to flee as refugees, mostly to Bangladesh.
Myanmar military spokesman Bri-gadier-General Zaw Min Tun said the suits were filed in response to unwarranted swipes at the army.
“Since we are an institution, we will have to prosecute any unfair criticism and distortions about us.
“We are not prosecuting all the news media.
“Our suits are based on the acts of the accused. We only prosecute parties who deliberately defame us to damage our reputation,” he told RFA.
Zaw Min Tun also pointed out that government officials and lawmakers had filed more defamation suits than the military.
Phyo Aung, however, believes that the Myanmar military has become ultrasensitive to any criticism, as it is experiencing a political crisis and is responding to critics by filing lawsuits against them.
A few countries, including the United States, have imposed sanctions on army commanders deemed responsible for the Rohingya slaughter, while other countries have filed suits on genocide charges against Myanmar for alleged state-sanctioned violence against the Rohingya at the ICJ, the International Criminal Court and an Argentine court.