Myanmar: Authorities reportedly detained a Japanese national in South Dagon Township, Yangon, July 30

Event

The Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) authorities reportedly detained a Japanese national in South Dagon Township, Yangon, July 30. Reports indicate that the Japanese citizen is a documentary filmmaker and was in the vicinity of a pro-democracy demonstration. Officials arrested the Japanese national along with two locals and seized some filming equipment; the charges against and the current location of the Japanese citizen are unclear.

Context

The Japanese filmmaker's arrest highlights the need to avoid being in the vicinity of demonstrations and recording security personnel's activities in Myanmar, particularly following the February 2021 military coup. The detention also signals the continued media restrictions and the threat of arbitrary or political detention in the country. Past detained foreigners who have since been released include a Japanese journalist who was in the authorities' custody April-May 2021. The regime also continues to incarcerate an Australian advisor to the former state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi since his February 2021 arrest, as well as an American national who was detained in July 2022; the circumstances of the arrest and the charges against the American citizen are unclear.