Seventeen journalists remain imprisoned in Myanmar following the Feb. 1, 2021 military coup, human rights group Amnesty International stated on Saturday, citing monitoring data from the expression advocacy organization Athan.
Since the 2021 coup, at least 11 journalists have been killed and 216 arrested across the country.
2026 Press Freedom metrics and releases
According to Athan’s Aug. 20 report, only one journalist has been freed from custody so far in 2026:
- Shin Daewe Release: Prominent 52-year-old documentary filmmaker and former DVB reporter Shin Daewe was released from Yangon’s Insein Prison during the April 17 Myanmar New Year amnesty. She was arrested in October 2023 and sentenced to life imprisonment under the Counter-Terrorism Law in January 2024.
- Global Ranking: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranks Myanmar as the world’s second-biggest jailer of journalists, trailing only China and ahead of Israel. CPJ records at least 18 media workers currently behind bars.
Global recognition and prison conditions of Sai Zaw Thaike
Jailed photojournalist Sai Zaw Thaike—who is serving a 20-year sentence with hard labor following his arrest in May 2023 while covering Cyclone Mocha in Arakan State—has been selected for two major global press freedom honors in 2026:
| Award / Organization | Event Date / Location | Status & Reported Incarceration Conditions |
| 2026 Courage Prize (Reporters Without Borders – RSF) | Awarded June 1, 2026 (Marseille, France) | Enduring daily physical abuse, retaliatory torture, and solitary confinement in Insein Prison. |
| 2026 International Press Freedom Award (CPJ) | Scheduled for Nov. 19, 2026 (New York City) | Denied necessary surgical treatment for kidney disease and severe hemorrhoids. |
Myanmar media crackdown since 2021 coup
The regime’s Ministry of Information has expanded its legal campaign against independent news organizations, stripping publication and broadcasting licenses from seven additional outlets in 2026:
- 2026 Revoked Outlets (7): Khonumthung Media Group, Chin World, Nowadays News, Myaelatt Athan, Red News Agency, Asia Citizens, and Shwe Phee Myay news agency.
- Post-Coup Totals: These seven outlets join at least 21 other news organizations—including DVB—that have had their licenses revoked since March 2021, bringing the total to at least 28 banned outlets.
- Nationwide Political Incarcerations: Tracking metrics from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) document that 31,843 people have been arrested for political opposition since the coup, with 14,756 individuals remaining incarcerated nationwide.
