Tamway Township Court ruled that the charges against three journalists from Weekly Eleven Journal under section 505 (b) of the Penal Code of Myanmar were dropped at their trial held on Friday after the Yangon Region government put forward a letter of withdrawal.
Chief Editor Kyaw Zaw Lin, Editor in Charge Na Yi Min and Chief Reporter Phyo Wai Win (a.k.a) Phyo Wai appeared in court for their continued trial on Friday, where plaintiff Aung Kyaw Khaing, director of the Yangon Region government, submitted the letter of case dismissal.
"We have submitted a letter to Myanmar Press Council for negotiation and settling of the case. So we have dropped all charges," said Aung Kyaw Khaing.
Advocate Kyee Myint, lawyer for the three journalists, said: "They submitted a withdrawal letter. The letter says the charges under section 505(b) will be dropped as a complaint has been sent to the Press Council. The letter was first sent to the law office. With the endorsement from that office, the judge passed the verdict.”
The judge ruled over the release of the defendants according to section 494 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and before charging them under section 494 (a).
The dropping of the charges against the three Eleven Media Group journalists comes after Yangon Region Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein gave a press meet with MRTV, MRTV-4, MITV and Sky Net on November 8 saying that the case would go on as the President has instructed.
The Weekly Eleven Journal issued on October 8 carried the article about “Closure of unprofitable filling stations, school buses with unknown borrower and public shares with individual names” written by Phyo Wai. Regarding the article, director Aung Kyaw Khaing filed a lawsuit against the three journalists under section 505 (b) citing the defamation of the regional government's image. Regarding the case, the President gave his guidance.
After the guidance of the President, Chief Editor Kyaw Zaw Lin, Editor in Charge Na Yi Min and Chief Reporter Phyo Wai Win were granted bail on October 26.
Aung Kyaw Khaing launched a lawsuit against the three journalists under section 505 at Tamway Township Court. He denied the fact that the contribution of shares in Yangon Metropolitan Development Public Company is under the name of Myint Thaung. His share is on behalf of the regional government. The facts that appeared in the article was totally wrong and it could cause panic and distrust among the shareholders and the public, he said.
In connection with the case, the court issued an arrest warrant and police came to the office of Eleven Media Group on the night of October 9, but they did not see the accused persons because it was not office hour.
The three went to the Tamway Township Police Station on October to turn themselves in.
