Myanmar charges foreign journalists, others for flying drone

YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar authorities have charged two foreign journalists, a local freelancer who works as an interpreter and their driver for allegedly flying drones illegally over and around the government’s parliament buildings, police said Sunday.

Mok Choy Lin, a Malaysian, and Lau Hon Meng, a Singaporean, journalists for Turkish Radio and Television, were detained along with their local interpreter and freelance journalist Aung Naing Soe after flying drones over the parliament building on Friday, police said.

The four were charged under the Export and Import Law and face up to three years in prison if found guilty, police said, adding that a trial would begin at the end of a 15-day remand.

Police officer San Aung said the drone was imported without permission.

The detained journalists and driver have not been allowed to see family members since the arrest on Friday, one of the family members said.

The Myanmar ministry of information said in a statement Saturday that the government has informed the Singaporean and Malaysian embassies about their citizens’ detention.

A state-run newspaper said the journalists intended to take photos of parliament buildings and pagodas in the capital, Naypyitaw, when security guards spotted them.