Myanmar’s Highest Court Upholds Conviction of Reuters Journalists – The New York Times

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi has had numerous opportunities to free the two journalists but has refused all entreaties.

Her attorney general, Htun Htun Oo, oversaw the prosecution of the case, which human rights advocates argued should have been dropped.

Earlier this month, the country’s president, Win Myint, pardoned almost 10,000 prisoners, but Mr. Wa Lone and Mr. Kyaw Soe Oo were not among them.

“Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo should never have been arrested, much less prosecuted, for doing their jobs as investigative journalists,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “That they are still in prison shows just how wrong Myanmar’s democracy under Aung San Suu Kyi is going.”

Chit Su Win, the wife of Mr. Kyaw Soe Oo, said she had hoped that the Supreme Court would at least reduce the prison sentences of her husband and Mr. Wa Lone.

“I’m very disappointed with the decision,” she said.

Their lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, said they would seek a pardon from Mr. Win Myint. But since he was handpicked by Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and reports to her, any decision to free the reporters would almost certainly rest with her.

“Myanmar has a very weak judicial system for freedom of press and human rights,” Mr. Khin Maung Zaw said.