Myanmar Newspapers Print Black Front Pages To Protest Journalist Arrests

Private newspapers in Myanmar printed black front pages on Friday to rally against the recent arrests and threats made to journalists, the Associated Press reported.

The newspapers' decision to protest came after video journalist Zaw Pe from Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) was arrested and sentenced to one year in prison while reporting on education. Pe's sentencing sparked a "Free Zaw Pe" campaign against the deterioration of press freedom in Burma. The Associated Press added that at least six other journalists have been arrested while on the job in the last four months alone.

"We are publishing the black front page in protest against the sentencing of the DVB reporter and also to oppose the recent harassment of journalists," chief editor of the Daily Eleven newspaper Wai Phyo told The Associated Press.

Here is a look at some of those front pages from newsstands in Yangon, Myanmar (via AP Photo/Khin Maung Win):

The blacked-out pages contained a statement that reportedly translated to, "By opposing recent arrest and sentencing of journalists including a video journalist of DVB.”

Many groups around the world have spoken out in recent months against the increase in attacks on journalists, including the United Nations, Al Jazeera, Reporters Without Borders, and most recently, participants of BBC's Safety of Journalists Synopsium. Other newspapers have altered their design in order to speak out against the mistreatment of journalists as well. In November, the French newspaper Libération published an edition without any images to show the importance of photographers after huge layoffs swept through several news photo departments.

(h/t: Poynter)