As some so-called crime news journals and agencies apply for identity cards to cover election news, they will not be recognized as ethical journalists, according to a statement released by Myanmar Press Council (MPC) on October 14. 

Respective district election sub-commissions are issuing identity cards for election news coverage. The statement came after the Union Election Commission (UEC) and some journalists had informed MPC that some alleged reporters from some news agencies, posing as crime journalists, were applying for their identity cards. 

MPC requested the UEC on October 6 not to issue identity cards to those unethical journalists. 

The UEC also issued a statement on the following day saying that identity cards would not be to them. 

The MPC statement said those so-called crime news journals and agencies might have received official registration from the Ministry of Information. However, they have committed dishonest acts such as violating the journalistic ethics repeatedly, collecting membership fees, acting gangs and blackmailing. And they have tarnished the image of genuine journalists and public trust. 

Their acts also include illegally brokering in court cases, writing news, underreporting or hiding news by asking for money in criminal cases, threatening and blackmailing smugglers and KTV and massage parlours, the statement pointed out. 

The lists of those unethical and so-called crime news agencies will be published later.