Independent Myanmar Journalists Association (IMJA)
Statement No. 6 / 2025
15 December 2025
Strong Objection to the Long Prison Sentences Imposed on Female Journalist Sut Ring Pan and Call for Her Immediate Release
The Independent Myanmar Journalists Association (IMJA) strongly condemns the decision of the military commission to sentence Kachin ethnic female journalist Sut Ring Pan to a total of 13 years in prison.
According to information received, journalist Sut Ring Pan, who was working as a freelance journalist, was forcibly arrested and beaten by three plainclothes soldiers at her home in Yangon at around 9:30 p.m. on 29 September 2024.
Following her arrest, she was reportedly detained at Yay Kyi Ai Interrogation Center, where she was interrogated and tortured for up to 22 days.
She was later charged at Insein Prison Court under Section 505(a) of the Penal Code and Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law. On 16 May 2025, she was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment under Section 505(a).
In addition, on 2 December 2025, the Yangon Western District Court sentenced her to a further 10 years’ imprisonment under Section 50(j) of the Counter-Terrorism Law, bringing her total sentence to 13 years, according to confirmed information.
Based on findings documented in IMJA’s research reports, the military commission has systematically arrested journalists, subjected them to violence and torture, and imposed lengthy prison sentences by applying various counter-terrorism provisions.
Since the military coup on 1 February 2021 to the present day, the military commission has killed seven journalists and arrested more than 200 journalists. More than 30 journalists remain detained in prisons across the country at this time.
IMJA calls on the military commission to immediately cease the targeted arrests and killings of journalists and to unconditionally and urgently release all detained journalists.
IMJA strongly condemns and denounces the imposition of long prison sentences on journalists as in this case and will formally document this incident as a crime committed against media workers.
IMJA further urges the United Nations and the international community to take effective and decisive action against the military commission, which continues to target, arrest, kill, and imprison journalists.
For further information, please contact:
Phone: +66 817 132 516
Signal: +66 817 132 516
Communications Committee
Independent Myanmar Journalists Association (IMJA)
