Press groups condemn Myanmar junta bid to pursue five exile media outlets through Interpol

Mizzima

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Exiled Myanmar Journalists Network (Exiled-MJN), condemned on 14 October the junta’s attempt to pursue five exiled media outlets through INTERPOL. Mizzima is one of the five, along with Myanmar Now, Khit Thit, The Irrawaddy and DVB.

On 6 October, junta Deputy Home Affairs Minister Min Thu said the junta was seeking INTERPOL Red Notices against the outlets. The two groups said this misuses international cross-border policing to silence the media and widen repression.

State media reported that the junta charged the journalists under counter-terrorism laws, revoked passports and sought to begin extradition processes, according to the IFJ. Exiled-MJN said exiled journalists in border areas and neighbouring countries often live without legal documents or rely on migrant worker papers, which leaves them more exposed.

INTERPOL’s constitution strictly forbids the organization from intervening in matters of a political, military, religious or racial character, according to INTERPOL’s website. INTERPOL says a Red Notice is a request to police worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person, not an arrest warrant, and that it cannot compel any country to make an arrest.

The IFJ said the outlets went into exile after the junta revoked their licenses following the 2021 coup. Exiled-MJN says at least seven journalists have been killed since 2021. The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) recorded at least 227 journalists detained as of September 2026, with 100 sentenced to a combined 549 years in prison, and 20 still in prison as of August 2026, the IFJ said.

The groups urged the international community to act so independent media and journalists can work safely.

According to Min Thu, the outlets have been charged at junta police stations and courts under sections 124A, 505(b) and 505A of the Penal Code, section 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act, section 33(a) of the Electronic Transactions Law, and sections 50(a) and 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law.