US welcomes release of Reuters journalists in Myanmar

By Umar Farooq

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. on Tuesday welcomed Myanmar's decision to release two Reuters journalists who had been imprisoned for more than 500 days for investigating the deaths of Rohingya men.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, who had been detained since December 2017, were each sentenced to seven years in prison last September for their alleged breach of a colonial-era law for investigating the killing of 10 men in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in 2017.

"The United States welcomes the decision in Burma to release @Reuters journalists Wa Lone & Kyaw Soe Oo, freeing them to return to their families following over 500 days of imprisonment," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a tweet. "We hope to see the release of other imprisoned journalists and greater freedom of expression."

Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, have fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.

Since Aug. 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).

The UN has also documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including of infants and young children -- and brutal beatings and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces.

In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity and genocidal intent.

The two journalists were among 6,520 inmates released Tuesday under a third round of pardons by Myanmar President Win Myint to celebrate the traditional New Year which began April 17.

"I am very excited to reunite with family," Wa Lone told a crowd of reporters after his release.