Myanmar hands 10-year prison sentence to Japanese journalist
Bangkok (AP): A court in military-ruled Myanmar has sentenced a Japanese journalist to prison after he filmed an anti-government protest in July, a Japanese diplomat said Thursday.
Toru Kubota was sentenced Wednesday to seven years for violating the electronic transactions law and three years for incitement, said Tetsuo Kitada, deputy chief of mission of the Japanese Embassy. The sentences were to be served concurrently. A charge of violating immigration law is believed to still be pending.
The electronic transactions law covers offenses that involve spreading false or provocative information online, and carries a prison term of seven to 15 years. Incitement is a catch-all political law covering activities deemed to cause unrest, and has been used frequently against journalists and dissidents, usually with a three-year prison term.
Kubota was arrested on July 30 by plainclothes police in Yangon, the country's largest city, after taking photos and videos of a flash protest against Myanmar's 2021 takeover by the military, which ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Kubota was the fifth foreign journalist detained in Myanmar after the military seized power. U.S. citizens Nathan Maung and Danny Fenster, who worked for local publications, and freelancers Robert Bociaga of Poland and Yuki Kitazumi of Japan were eventually deported before serving complete prison sentences.
Roughly 150 journalists in all have been arrested, with more than half released, but the media remains under tight restrictions. Free media are forced to operate underground or from abroad.
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K'taka Minister Parameshwara distances himself from 'next CM' slogans raised by supporters
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday distanced himself from slogans raised by his supporters in Tumakuru, projecting him as the next Chief Minister, and asserted that he would not fuel speculation or lobby for the post as any decision rests with the party high command.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said he had no role in the slogans raised by his followers and reiterated that leadership decisions would be taken at the appropriate time by the party leadership.
“I am not prepared to create any more confusion,” he said, adding that “our High Command will take a decision at the appropriate time.”
Responding to questions about alleged lobbying by party workers and supporters, he said, “I am not going to do any lobbying. Didn’t you hear what I said yesterday? Someone asked me whether I was going to Delhi. I did not go to Delhi. That’s it.”
The minister also said such decisions are left to the Congress high command.
He maintained that while well-wishers may express their feelings, he had discouraged them from doing so.
“Our well-wishers here may be expressing their feelings. How can I tell them not to do that? I have told them not to do it… but in all this, as I said, I am not going to join or encourage this confusion,” he said.
Regarding missing children cases, the Home Minister said the government was taking it seriously.
He also said that instructions had been issued to trace foreigners overstaying their visas.
He also referred to ongoing verification drives in Bengaluru to identify illegal stay and scrutinise identity documents.
Reiterating that recruitment to vacant government posts would continue in a phased manner, Parameshwara said discussions would be held on employment generation and other administrative matters.
