Junta officers are getting ready to sue two unbiased media shops, accusing them of not paying broadcasting charges imposed simply earlier than the army took energy in a coup d’etat greater than two years in the past.
The Yangon places of work of the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB, and the Mizzima information companies had been raided by junta safety forces in March 2021 – a month after the Feb. 1, 2021, army coup d’etat.
The State Administrative Council, the official title of the army authorities, revoked the working licenses of the shops, which now function on-line and underground.
The junta’s Ministry of Data introduced the lawsuit on Saturday, saying they nonetheless should pay for utilizing the state-owned Myanmar Radio and Tv platform to air information and leisure within the months earlier than the army takeover.
In keeping with the lawsuit, DVB owes a month’s payment of greater than 20 million kyats, or about US$9,500, whereas Mizzima should pay 80 million kyats, or about US$38,000, for 4 months of providers.
DVB and Mizzima informed RFA on Monday that the lawsuit was unlawful as a result of it was introduced by a junta that unlawfully seized energy.
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‘Inside minutes of the army coup’
That’s additionally why DVB doesn’t owe any charges to the junta, stated Editor-in-chief Aye Chan Naing. Its broadcasting license contract was signed with a civilian authorities that was elected by the folks, he stated.
“We needed to pay MRTV each three months,” he informed RFA. “We had been by no means late to pay. However inside minutes of the army coup, our tv channel was lower for precisely one month with none discover from them.”
Mizzima’s founder and chairman, Soe Myint, informed RFA that the outlet would pay the invoice if it may entry its checking account, which had 90 million kyat (about US$42,000) when it was seized by the junta in March 2021.
He stated he hasn’t acquired any emails or official paperwork concerning the lawsuit.
“Whether it is in an unbiased, judicially competent and protected state of affairs, I’m able to defend this lawsuit in courtroom at any time. Whether or not it’s inside Myanmar or wherever overseas,” he stated. “I can current the truth that the army junta unlawfully seized my home and all my properties in any free and truthful courtroom of regulation.”
The junta has additionally charged seven Mizzima workers with violating Part 505(a) of Myanmar’s Penal Code, Soe Myint stated. That a part of the regulation pertains to the circulation of statements, rumors or studies with the intent to trigger army officers to ignore or fail of their duties.
RFA tried to contact junta Deputy Data Minister Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for a response on the lawsuit, however his cellphone rang unanswered.
Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.