Myanmar Regime Bans Six Media Outlets in First Month of ‘Civilian’ Rule

Just one month into its rule, the Min Aung Hlaing regime has already banned six Myanmar media outlets—making clear that despite its new civilian façade, it has no intention of making space for independent voices.

In December and January, the Min Aung Hlaing-led junta held a controversial election in three phases, leading to the formation of a new military-backed “civilian” administration on April 10. The regime claims to be an elected democratic government, despite the fact that genuinely democratic parties, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), were abolished or banned ahead of the vote.

Contradicting its claims to be a democratic administration, the Min Aung Hlaing regime’s Information Ministry on Monday revoked the publishing licenses of three local media outlets—Myaelatt Athan, Red News Agency and Asia Citizens. The move followed the ministry’s revocation on April 24 of the publishing licenses of Myatmaukkhit News Agency (Nowadays News) and two ethnic Chin media outlets, Khonumthung Media Group and Chin World.

The ministry said the media organizations were banned for violating Section 8(b) of the Printing and Publishing Enterprise Law, which prohibits the publication of content deemed harmful to national security, the rule of law and public peace.

“They changed their administration’s name but not the people [within it]. That’s why they will not allow press freedom,” Ko Win Zaw Naing, editor of Red News Agency, told The Irrawaddy.

The junta began monitoring media outlets and revoking their licenses immediately after the February 2021 coup, and the new pseudo-civilian government is continuing the practice, looking to ban those that are left, he added.

Ko Ye Thwin Hein, founder of Myaelatt Athan, one of the organizations that lost their licenses on Monday, said, “It’s not a surprise that we have been banned.”

“It’s the habit of the dictators; they will never accept independent media,” he said.

Min Aung Hlaing’s new administration declared emergency rule in 60 townships on April 23, giving military courts the power to impose the death penalty on anyone deemed to be critical of the regime, including journalists, in those areas.

Days after the 2021 coup, the Myanmar junta revoked the publishing licenses of several mainstream media outlets, including The Irrawaddy, Mizzima, DVB and Myanmar Now. It also raided and seized media offices, and jailed journalists for lengthy terms.

The Information Ministry said that as of April 30, it had revoked the licenses of 22 news media and 97 news agencies. The two types of organizations are issued with different types of licenses.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Myanmar fell from 138th in the World Press Freedom Index in 2020 to 166th in 2026, after five years of military rule.

According to the Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM), founded by Myanmar media organizations, over 200 journalists have been arrested under the military regime since the coup.

The regime still holds 18 journalists behind bars, including Sai Zaw Thaik of Myanmar Now, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

On May 3, World Press Freedom Day, the IPCM condemned the regime’s revocation of media licenses and suppression of independent media, and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained journalists.