Why was Myanmar filmmaker Shin Daewe given life imprisonment
The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) has demanded the immediate release of Shin Daewe, a prominent Myanmar documentary filmmaker sentenced to life imprisonment for possessing a drone. Daewe was arrested in Yangon in October last year and tried by a military tribunal inside Insein Prison without legal representation. She was found guilty of violating Myanmar's anti-terrorism law. ICFR expressed its solidarity with her and others in Myanmar fighting for basic human rights and freedom of expression.
Daewe's family's take on the whole case
ICFR has called on Myanmar authorities to release Daewe immediately and unconditionally. As per Variety, her family said, "Our family simply wishes to see her resume her work as usual. We eagerly await the day when our sister will return home." European Film Academy chair and ICFR founding board member Mike Downey emphasized that Daewe's conviction and harsh sentencing are part of the Myanmar junta's ongoing persecution of dissent.
'This is the latest in a series of unfair trials'
Downey further stated, "This is the latest in a series of unfair trials and cruel and repressive sentences which are part of a broader effort to instill fear in the junta's critics, suppress independent coverage, and deny the reality of the military's serious and ongoing rights violations." The situation highlights the urgent need for action and support for those facing injustice in Myanmar.
