A longtime former Reuters correspondent has been appointed as Burma’s deputy information minister in an awkwardly timed career move, given that two of the international news agency’s Burmese reporters are currently on trial for what their boss has called “a blatant attack on press freedom.”

The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has injected itself into the debate over two Reuters journalists who were detained last week, with a party official saying they should be released if not guilty of wrongdoing.

A lawsuit against the Eleven Media Group should be dropped immediately, according to right groups calling on Burma's government to reform restrictive media laws.

As a former member of Burma's Press Council, Information Minister Pe Myint is expected to push for further reforms of the media sector.

Burma's media community is divided over whether to back the country's government-sponsored Press Council or to push for further reforms.

Anyone reading Burma's independent media ahead of next month's historic election might be unaware that more than 90 political parties are competing.