Win Htut Oo, a citizen journalist (CJ) working for DVB, and Htet Myat Thu, a freelance journalist, along with two members of a local armed resistance group were killed during a raid carried out by the military on a home in Mon State’s Kyaikto Township on Thursday.
“Win Htut Oo and one of the members of the Kyaikto Revolutionary Force were injured [during the raid]. The troops forced Htet Myat Thu and another [KRF member] to kneel down with their hands tied behind their backs,” a family member who witnessed the raid recounted to DVB.
Pro-military groups shared reports shortly afterwards claiming that Win Htut Oo, 26, and Htet Myat Thu, 28, were members of the local armed group and not journalists as they purported to be. The two were close friends who studied journalism together, according to the family member.
“Win Htut Oo covered news from southern Myanmar for DVB in accordance with media ethical standards and codes of conduct. He always tried to include voices from the resistance in his reporting,’ said Aung Kyaw, the DVB CJ Network Coordinator.
The military regime, which seized power after the 2021 coup, issued an arrest warrant for Win Htut Oo under Sec. 505 (A) of the Penal Code in 2021. Htet Myat Thu was wounded and arrested during a military crackdown on anti-coup protests in March 2021.
DVB tried contacting military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun for comment but didn’t receive a response. DVB condemns any attack on media workers in Myanmar and calls for an immediate investigation into the death of Win Htut Oo and Htet Myat Thu.
