Mizzima News

Police have arrested four activists who staged a demonstration outside the Chinese embassy in Yangon, Burma over the shooting death of a protester at the controversial Chinese-run copper mine in Letpadaung.

Migrant rights and other supporters rallied outside as a Bangkok court dismissed a defamation charge brought against British research Andy Hall by Natural Fruit Company Ltd, a Thai pineapple export factory, over an interview Mr Hall conducted with Al Jazeera.

Witnesses to the exhumation of the body of Burmese journalist Ko Aung Kyaw Naing (Ko Par Gyi) claim they saw many injuries to the head, ribs, groin and leg, though the cause of death has yet to be confirmed.

Burmese activist Ma Phyu Hnin Htwe faces prosecution accused of participating in the unlawful detention of two Chinese citizens, employees of the Wenbao Company that runs the controversial copper mine in Letpadaung. The mine has been the site of clashes with local people over alleged issues of land confiscation, threats to locals’ health and the environment.

The Burmese authorities announced that some 3,000 prisoners would be released in an amnesty, but none of the country’s prisoners of conscience – activists detained solely for peacefully expressing their views – will be included in the release, notes Amnesty International.

The five “Unity journal” employees who were sentenced to ten years imprisonment with hard labour have had their sentence reduced to 7 years imprisonment. The charges arose from a January 2014 report that a military facility was making chemical weapons, a claim denied by the Burmese government.

The Ministry of Information is going ahead with its plan to sue the Eleven Media Group over stories alleging impropriety of Burmese government officials involving the purchase of a printing press.

Former political prisoner Nay Phone Latt speaks of his passion for information and communications technology, concerns about hate speech in Burma and his efforts to create a more tolerant society.