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Since the February 2021 coup, the state of free expression in Myanmar has rapidly deteriorated. Prior to the military’s seizure of power, Myanmar already ranked among the world’s top 10 jailers of writers, poets, and public intellectuals. The oppression by the military junta, coupled with fighting between the military and its many opposition forces, have continued to result in immense violence and a further erosion of human rights.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is AP18298650738759-jpg.avif Activists protesting the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi hold a candlelight vigil outside Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018. The poster reads in Arabic:’ Khashoggi’s Friends Around the World’. A group of Arab and international public, political and media figures are establishing a global association called “Khashoggi’s Friends Around the World”; “to achieve justice for the freedom martyr”.(AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

What You Need to Know

The 2023 Freedom To Write Index showed that the number of imprisoned writers decreased to 12, from 16 in 2022, putting Myanmar ninth in the top 10 countries jailing writers. A number of writers jailed since the initial days of the coup were released in a mass amnesty in January 2023.

Writers and other creative artists have played a key role in voicing support for the countrywide civil disobedience movement against military rule. At risk of arrest and detention, hundreds of writers, artists, activists, and public intellectuals operate in hiding within Myanmar or have fled into exile.

Under Myanmar’s restrictive legal framework, writers have long been targeted and detained for spurious national security crimes such as “incitement” and “treason” as a result of their expression.

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Individual Cases

  • Zarganar

    Status:

    On April 6, 2021, comedian Zarganar was arrested by the military junta in a broader campaign against cultural figures following… More

  • A man wearing glasses and a tan traditional outfit stands indoors with his mouth slightly open, surrounded by other people in the background.

    Htin Lin Oo

    Status:

    Htin Lin Oo, a former political prisoner, was first detained in December 2014 and charged with “insulting religion.” In the… More

  • A man wearing glasses and a checkered shirt sits at a desk with a computer, looking toward the camera with one hand raised. Office items and a printer are visible in the background, suggesting work related to PEN America or Global Press Freedom Advocacy Institute.

    Wa Lone

    Status:

    Reuters reporter Wa Lone was a 2018 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award Honoree. He was arrested in December 2017 with… More

  • A man in a black striped shirt sits at a desk with papers, wearing earphones and looking up at the camera. Office furniture, a printer, and a green basket are in the background.

    Kyaw Soe Oo

    Status:

    Reuters reporter Kyaw Soe Oo was a 2018 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award honoree. He was arrested in December 2017… More

  • A woman with short, curly dark hair and glasses smiles at the camera. She is wearing a light-colored top and a patterned scarf. The background is a plain, light-colored curtain.

    Ma Thida

    Status:

    Human rights activist, surgeon, and writer Ma Thida was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of endangering public… More

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Spring Diary

The authors of Myanmar Spring Diary, a poignant collection of 10 short stories and 12 poems, reflect on the countless acts of courage and tragic losses in the wake of the 2021 military coup, and pay tribute to the Spring Revolution heroes. Their stories and poems are set against the backdrop of Myanmar’s 10 year experiment with quasi-democracy, as well as the previous five decades of military rule. The poems were written in Myanmar’s languages and have been translated into English for the first time. 

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