In a diplomatic move by its junta Myanmar, charges have been dropped against a Japanese journalist arrested while covering protests in Myanmar, who is yet to be deported.
Yuki Kitazumi, a freelance journalist, was arrested in mid-April and is being held at Myanmar’s Insein Prison, where political prisoners are being held.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has confirmed that he will be deported to Japan today, according to AMBE, while Myanmar’s state-run MRTV radio broadcast that the charges against Kijumi will be dropped.
“Although he violated the law, in order to reconcile with Japan and improve our relations, the charges against him will be dropped and he will be released at the request of Japan,” MRTV reported.
Previous research has shown that Kitazumi had “supported the protests”, he added.
80 journalists have been arrested
Kitazumi has been detained since April 18. This is the second time he has been arrested since the February 1 coup. In February, he was beaten and briefly detained during a police riot operation against protesters.
In early March the junta had been accused of spreading “false news”, as reported by the Japanese agency Kyodo.
He is one of at least 80 journalists arrested in Myanmar in connection with the crackdown.
A Polish photographer was arrested in March for covering a protest but was released and deported after nearly two weeks in detention.
On Wednesday, a journalist from the independent DVB media, Min Nio, was sentenced to three years in prison, the maximum sentence, for broadcasting false news.
On Thursday afternoon, Ko Aung Kiao Oo, a former Tomorrow Journal reporter, was arrested at a teahouse in Yenchang in Mangao Province, his son confirmed.
“We do not know why he was arrested, they did not give us any explanation,” he complained.
Forty-five journalists and photographers are still being held in Myanmar, according to Reporting ASEAN.
Martial law
In the meantime, the junta in Myanmar has declared martial law in a city in Qin province, after accuses “armed terrorists” for attacks on a police station and a bank, state media reported today, as clashes between the army and armed, ethnic groups intensified in border areas.
On Wednesday and Thursday in the city of Midat, about 100 people used improvised weapons to attack a police station, while about 50 of them attacked the Myanmar Economic Bank, the Myanmar News Agency reported.
According to the same source, security forces repulsed the attack without suffering any casualties.
A document later stating that martial law was imposed in the city, located in the state of Qin, on the border with India, was published in The Global New Light of Myanmar.
However, another document posted by local media on social media stated that martial law was invalid.
He added that clashes erupted when the army broke its promise to release seven civilians arrested during recent protests.
The junta finds it difficult to maintain order as protests erupt almost daily in many Myanmar cities.
In another sign of the growing military opposition movement, a video posted on social media shows pro-democracy protesters shouting “We believe we will win, we must win, we must win” as they marched in the financial capital of the country today.
At least 788 people have been killed in violent crackdowns by security forces, according to a local organization.
Some opponents of the coup have sought military training from rebels who have been fighting the Myanmar government for decades in border states.
Clashes have intensified in some of these areas since the coup, with armed ethnic groups intensifying their attacks, occupying army positions and shooting down a military helicopter.
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