Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney’s newest case is another big one. The 40-year-old is representing two Reuters reporters, Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone, who were arrested in Myanmar on December 12 last year and have been held in jail since.
Amal claims that the journalists, who were investigating the killing of ten Rohingya Muslims, are innocent, Harper’s Bazaar reports. They were detained for illegally possessing government documents and can be charged under the Officials Secret Act with a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.
“Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news. I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately”, Amal said in a statement. “The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmar’s commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech.”
The journalists’ legal team are requesting that the court dismiss all charges, due to a strong lack of evidence.
