Free DVB Journalists Campaign

January 29, 2010

Rangoon Insein jail's special court handed down a 13-year sentence to a journalist of Democratic Voice of Burma, Ngwe Soe Lin, also known as Tun Kyaw, on 27 January. He was charged under Electronics and Immigration Acts. The Burmese authorities arrested him on 26 June 2009 in Rangoon and detained him at Aung Thabye interrogation centre.

Ngwe Soe Lin played a vital role in recording the lives of children left orphaned by Cyclone Nargis in 2008. His video records were turned into a documentary, 'Orphans of Burma's Cyclone', and it was aired on Channel 4 in the UK and several countries. Along with another DVB journalist named Zoro, he won the 2009 Rory Peck award for best documentary , recognising his brave efforts to reveal the truth.

Ngwe Soe Linn is the second DVB journalist given jail term within a month. On 30 December 2009, DVB journalist, Hla Hla Win was sentenced to 27 years in jail. She and another DVB correspondent named Win Maw, were awarded Kenji Nagai memorial award 2010.

DVB is initiating a campaign for the release of all its journalists languishing in jails, with the cooperation of international journalist and human rights organizations.

Aye Chan Naing

+47 91107743

Khin Maung Win

+47 45276649

Moe Aye

+47 94179096