Journalists, interpreter and driver freed from jail in Myanmar

Local interpreter and journalist Aung Naing Soe was seen leaving the prison on Friday morning.

Roughly six weeks ago, we reported on a Singaporean and Malaysian journalist together with their interpreter and driver being jailed for two months after having flown their drone to close to Myanmar’s parliament. They have now been released according to authorities. All four of them worked for Turkish broadcaster TRT and were serving a two-month sentence for not complying with local aviation rules and regulations.

Public charges dropped. No more jail time

They were potentially facing a three-year jail sentence as the four were being investigated for breaking rules on importing a drone into the country, but the public charges have now been dropped. In October, cameraman Lau Hon Meng from Singapore and Malaysian reporter Mok Choy Lin were detained when they were filming a documentary. Their driver Hla Tin and their interpreter, local journalist Aung Naing Soe, are both from Myanmar and were detained as well.

Turkish broadcaster, TRT had always insisted that the Myanmar authorities had been informed about the filming of the documentary. The cameraman from Singapore and the Malaysian reporter were also accused of immigration offenses but the police dropped the additional charges as they had not endangered national security.

In recent years the Myanmar government has curbed press freedom, especially around the military and government, according to BBC News.

Have you flown your drone in Myanmar or neighboring countries? Let us know what your experience was like in the comments below.

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