A Myanmar judge said Wednesday he would decide next week on whether to throw out a case against two Reuters journalists who were arrested while reporting on military abuses against Rohingya Muslims.&nbsp

Myanmar nationals Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, could face up to 14 years in prison on charges of possessing classified documents under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

Their plight has triggered global alarm over worsening media freedoms in Myanmar and government efforts to restrict reporting on northern Rakhine state, where troops are accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya minority.

Last week the journalists' lawyers asked the court to drop the case, which is still in a pre-trial hearing phase, saying there was not enough evidence to charge the pair.&nbsp

On Wednesday defence and prosecution teams presented arguments on the motion to a courtroom packed with relatives, media and diplomats.

"I'm going to give a decision on Wednesday, April 11th," said Judge Ye Lwin. 
At the time of their arrest four months ago the reporters were investigating the killing by security forces and ethnic Rakhine locals of 10 unarmed Rohingya Muslim men.

The army later acknowledged that security officers took part in the extrajudicial killings of the men, who were in custody at the time, in Inn Din village and vowed to take action against those responsible.

But it has denied any other abuses against the Rohingya, rejecting allegations from the UN that troops are guilty of ethnic cleansing and possible genocide in a campaign that has expelled 700,000 Rohingya from the country since August.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has estimated that at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed in the first month of the crackdown alone.&nbsp

The journalists, who have been detained since their arrest on December 12, have vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Their families say they were set up by two policemen who invited them for dinner and gave them the documents in question before their arrest.

"I haven't done anything wrong. That's why I believe I will be free soon," Kyaw Soe Oo told reporters after the hearing.&nbsp

Sean Bain, who was observing the trial for the International Commission of Jurists, called on the government to order prosecutors to "immediately drop these spurious charges".

"Each adjournment wrongfully extends their detention," he told, adding that "three months of hearings have produced no credible evidence" against the journalists.

Calls for the pair's release have poured in from around the globe, including from former US president Bill Clinton and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The case received another publicity boost last week after British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney announced she would represent the pair.

She was not in court on Wednesday.&nbsp

Myanmar nationals Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, could face up to 14 years in prison on charges of possessing classified documents under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act

A Myanmar judge said Wednesday he would decide next week on whether to throw out a case against two Reuters journalists who were arrested while reporting on military abuses against Rohingya Muslims. Myanmar nationals Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, could face up to 14 years in prison on charges of possessing classified documents under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act. Their plight has triggered global alarm over worsening media freedoms in Myanmar and government efforts to restrict reporting on northern Rakhine state, where troops are accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya minority. Last week the journalists' lawyers asked the court to drop the case, which is still in a pre-trial hearing phase, saying there was not enough evidence to charge the pair. On Wednesday defence and prosecution teams presented arguments on the motion to a courtroom packed with relatives, media and diplomats. "I'm going to give a decision on Wednesday, April 11th," said Judge Ye Lwin. At the time of their arrest four months ago the reporters were investigating the killing by security forces and ethnic Rakhine locals of 10 unarmed Rohingya Muslim men. The army later acknowledged that security officers took part in the extrajudicial killings of the men, who were in custody at the time, in Inn Din village and vowed to take action against those responsible. But it has denied any other abuses against the Rohingya, rejecting allegations from the UN that troops are guilty of ethnic cleansing and possible genocide in a campaign that has expelled 700,000 Rohingya from the country since August. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has estimated that at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed in the first month of the crackdown alone. The journalists, who have been detained since their arrest on December 12, have vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Their families say they were set up by two policemen who invited them for dinner and gave them the documents in question before their arrest. "I haven't done anything wrong. That's why I believe I will be free soon," Kyaw Soe Oo told reporters after the hearing. Sean Bain, who was observing the trial for the International Commission of Jurists, called on the government to order prosecutors to "immediately drop these spurious charges". "Each adjournment wrongfully extends their detention," he told, adding that "three months of hearings have produced no credible evidence" against the journalists. Calls for the pair's release have poured in from around the globe, including from former US president Bill Clinton and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The case received another publicity boost last week after British-Lebanese human rights lawyer Amal Clooney announced she would represent the pair. She was not in court on Wednesday.

Myanmar judge to rule next week on dropping journalists' case

Two Reuters reporters appeared in a Myanmar court for the 11th time on Wednesday, which marked 100 days since they were arrested in December and accused of possessing secret government papers.

A Yangon court is holding preliminary hearings to decide whether reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will face charges under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

&ldquo;They have been detained in Myanmar since December 12 simply for doing their jobs as journalists,&rdquo; Reuters President and Editor-in-Chief Stephen J Adler said in a statement.

&ldquo;Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are exemplary individuals and outstanding reporters who are dedicated to their families and their craft. They should be in the newsroom, not in prison. We call on the authorities in Myanmar to release them as soon as possible and allow them to return to their families and their jobs.&rdquo;

Government spokespeople have declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing court proceedings.

The journalists have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers after being invited to a restaurant by two officers they had not met before.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been investigating the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men in a village in western Myanmar&rsquo;s Rakhine state during a military crackdown in August.

The crackdown, which the United Nations has said was ethnic cleansing, has sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.

After the arrests of the reporters, the military admitted its soldiers took part in the killing.

Senior United Nations officials, western nations and press freedom advocates have called for the release of the journalists.

On Wednesday, diplomats from countries including the United States, Canada, Sweden and the European Union were attending the court hearing in Myanmar&rsquo;s largest city, Yangon.

The Danish embassy, which has closely monitored the case, said the pair had spent &ldquo;100 days behind bars for ensuring the public&rsquo;s right to information&rdquo;.

&ldquo;The embassy of Denmark in Myanmar strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to drop all charges against Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and to release them immediately,&rdquo; the embassy said before the hearing.

The two reporters, accused of possessing secret government papers, were arrested in December

Two Reuters reporters appeared in a Myanmar court for the 11th time on Wednesday, which marked 100 days since they were arrested in December and accused of possessing secret government papers. A Yangon court is holding preliminary hearings to decide whether reporters Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will face charges under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. “They have been detained in Myanmar since December 12 simply for doing their jobs as journalists,” Reuters President and Editor-in-Chief Stephen J Adler said in a statement. “Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are exemplary individuals and outstanding reporters who are dedicated to their families and their craft. They should be in the newsroom, not in prison. We call on the authorities in Myanmar to release them as soon as possible and allow them to return to their families and their jobs.” Government spokespeople have declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing court proceedings. The journalists have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers after being invited to a restaurant by two officers they had not met before. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been investigating the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men in a village in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state during a military crackdown in August. The crackdown, which the United Nations has said was ethnic cleansing, has sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh. After the arrests of the reporters, the military admitted its soldiers took part in the killing. Senior United Nations officials, western nations and press freedom advocates have called for the release of the journalists. On Wednesday, diplomats from countries including the United States, Canada, Sweden and the European Union were attending the court hearing in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon. The Danish embassy, which has closely monitored the case, said the pair had spent “100 days behind bars for ensuring the public’s right to information”. “The embassy of Denmark in Myanmar strongly urges the Government of Myanmar to drop all charges against Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and to release them immediately,” the embassy said before the hearing.

Reuters reporters in court 100 days after their arrest in Myanmar

The European Union urged Myanmar on Monday to release &quot;as quickly as possible&quot; two reporters arrested last week.

&quot;The recent arrest in Yangon of two journalists working for Reuters News Agency is a cause of real concern,&quot; a spokeswoman for the EU&#39;s foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, said.

Journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last Tuesday evening after they were invited to dine with police officers on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar&#39;s largest city.

Little is known of the allegations against the two journalists, other than that police said they were &quot;arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces.&quot;

&quot;We expect the Myanmar authorities to ensure the full protection of their rights and to release the journalists as quickly as possible,&quot; Mogherini&#39;s spokeswoman said.

&quot;Freedom of the press and media is the foundation and a cornerstone of any democracy.&quot;

The President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, had expressed similar concerns on Friday at an EU summit in Brussels.

Earlier on Monday, Myanmar&#39;s civilian President Htin Kyaw authorised police to proceed with a case against the two detained reporters accused of violating the country`s colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

Mogherini&#39;s spokeswoman said the EU was aware that the arrests may be connected to the journalists&#39;&nbsp;reporting on the crackdown in Rakhine on the Rohingya

Muslim minority. The two had reported on the issue in the past.

&quot;The EU reiterates its call on the Myanmar government to ensure transparency and to make serious efforts in order to hold accountable all those involved in serious human rights abuses in the context of the ongoing crisis in Rakhine State,&quot; the spokeswoman added.

The EU has sanctions in place against Myanmar barring the sale of arms and equipment that can be used for repression. In response to the Rohingya crisis, in October it also suspended invitations to Myanmar military officers.

The EU has sanctions in place against Myanmar barring the sale of arms and equipment that can be used for repression

The European Union urged Myanmar on Monday to release "as quickly as possible" two reporters arrested last week. "The recent arrest in Yangon of two journalists working for Reuters News Agency is a cause of real concern," a spokeswoman for the EU's foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, said. Journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last Tuesday evening after they were invited to dine with police officers on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. Little is known of the allegations against the two journalists, other than that police said they were "arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces." "We expect the Myanmar authorities to ensure the full protection of their rights and to release the journalists as quickly as possible," Mogherini's spokeswoman said. "Freedom of the press and media is the foundation and a cornerstone of any democracy." The President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, had expressed similar concerns on Friday at an EU summit in Brussels. Earlier on Monday, Myanmar's civilian President Htin Kyaw authorised police to proceed with a case against the two detained reporters accused of violating the country`s colonial-era Official Secrets Act. Mogherini's spokeswoman said the EU was aware that the arrests may be connected to the journalists' reporting on the crackdown in Rakhine on the Rohingya Muslim minority. The two had reported on the issue in the past. "The EU reiterates its call on the Myanmar government to ensure transparency and to make serious efforts in order to hold accountable all those involved in serious human rights abuses in the context of the ongoing crisis in Rakhine State," the spokeswoman added. The EU has sanctions in place against Myanmar barring the sale of arms and equipment that can be used for repression. In response to the Rohingya crisis, in October it also suspended invitations to Myanmar military officers.

EU urges Myanmar to free journalists as soon as possible

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