Bravery Under Fire: Journalists in Myanmar and the Fight for Truth

Photo Credit - Ai Illustration

On this International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, Exile Hub extends its unwavering support to the media professionals in Myanmar and in exile who, despite immense personal risk, continue their vital work of documenting, reporting, and amplifying voices otherwise silenced.

A Most Dangerous Profession

Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, the space for independent journalism has shrunk dramatically. According to a report by the International Centre for Not‑for‑Profit Law (ICNL), at least 221 journalists from nearly 100 media outlets were detained from February 2021 to February 2025, with 51 journalists still imprisoned as of early 2025. The same study found that over the past four years, 88 journalists were convicted, with sentences amounting to nearly 500 years in prison, and individual terms reaching up to 27 years. 

Yet the official numbers only tell part of the story: the intimidation, pre-trial detention, torture, and disappearances create a climate of fear that silences journalists long before they ever reach a courtroom.

A Spectrum of Repression

Recent developments underscore the severity of the situation. For example, in the first quarter of 2025, Journalist Than Htike Myint was sentenced to five years in jail under Myanmar’s Counter Terrorism Law on April 3, for having contacts on his mobile phone linked to the revolutionary Force

In May 2025, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported that Myanmar was the third-worst jailer of journalists worldwide, with 51 behind bars. 

In September 2025, the independent news organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called for the release of journalist Mu Dra, detained by an ethnic armed group, demonstrating that threats to the press come not only from the military junta but from multiple armed actors. 

Why It Matters

Journalists are not only information-workers. They are often the only independent eyes and ears in places where truth is often hidden. When their voices are silenced, it affects everyone’s ability to remember, participate, and hold power to account. The scale of repression in Myanmar reveals a structural strategy: by turning journalism into a criminal act through sweeping legislation such as broadly-defined “terrorism”, “incitement”, or “false news” provisions.

Ko Aung, an exiled photojournalist formerly based in the Sagaing Region in northwestern Myanmar, said,

“Every time I pick up my camera, I always think this could be the last time I see my family. But journalism, for me, is not just a profession, it’s a form of resistance. When they imprison one reporter, ten others must find ways to tell the story. Because the truth in Myanmar has always been written with courage.”

Ma Thandar, exiled journalist expressed her thoughts “They wanted to erase our voices by threatening us, jailing us, and forcing us to flee. But even in exile, our words travel home. The fight for justice doesn’t end at the border, it continues in every story we publish, every truth we refuse to get silenced”

A Call to Action

On this day we remember not only those behind bars, but also those living under constant threat, those forced into exile and those whose legal and physical security has been systematically eroded. We call on:

• Humanitarian and media-funding institutions to prioritise flexible, rapid support for journalists under threat.

• Civil-society actors and audiences reaffirm that information is not a luxury but a public good and a human right.

Exile Hub’s Commitment

At Exile Hub, we stand in solidarity with our colleagues and peers who continue to report under exile, under threat, or in the most constrained conditions. We are committed to:

• Providing holistic support to media professionals at risk;

• Facilitating safe environment and peer-learning for exiled journalists;

• Amplifying the stories and voices of those who must speak truth to power, 

• Calling on human-rights bodies to uphold their commitments to press freedom and the protection of journalists.

Ma Zee, Managing Director of Exile Hub, stated “Every detained or silenced reporter represents not only a personal loss, but a loss to our collective right to know. At Exile Hub, we stand in solidarity with those who persist  in exile, or on the ground to keep stories alive. Ending impunity is not just about defending journalists; it is about defending truth itself.”

Exile Hub echoes the message of survivors and working-journalists. To silence us is to silence entire societies. We refuse to let that happen.