North Korea's KCNA news agency refuted US media claims that Hamas is using North Korean weapons, and described these allegations as a baseless fabrication and an attempt to shift responsibility for the escalation to others.
Lee Guan-sun wrote in his article that the United States is once again using its “favorite” anti-North Korea propaganda to “deliberately link” the situation in the Middle East to North Korea.
He said: “The paid American media and some false experts are spreading fabricated and baseless stories about the use of North Korean weapons in the attack on Israel. All of this is misleading and ridiculous information, and it seems clear that the evil intentions of the United States are there. This is nothing more than an attempt to get rid of the focus on International accusations against the evil empire (the United States), and placing responsibility for the situation in the Middle East resulting from the brutal policy of hegemony on a third party.”
Earlier, American media claimed that Hamas was using F-7 missiles supplied by North Korea.
More than 1,300 people were arrested for criticizing the military council
From February 2022 to the end of September 2023, 1,316 people were arrested for criticizing the military council on social media, the Data for Myanmar group announced on October 8.
On February 1, 2022, after seeing that democracy activists had been calling for a nationwide silent strike since January, the military council had instigated it through social media. Propaganda, If you make threats, the section of terrorism, On January 25, 2022, they started threatening to take action with the Communications Section.
From that time until today, the author criticizing the military council on social media, Anyone writing in support of the anti-dictatorship movement is being arrested continuously.
A woman from Yangon told RFA that she did not even dare to express her opinion on social media because there were instances of her being arrested every day.
"Post writing, There are a lot of people who have been arrested through sharing, sharing, and giving Internet access. The internet is even worse. If there is news on the Internet, I look at it in the same way. Even if you have your own opinion, you don't dare to give a damn. I dare not share. In the same way, those who live quietly, There is no freedom at all.”
According to the list of Data for Myanmar, Yangon Region has the highest number of 323 people. Mandalay has the second highest number of arrests with 284. Baguio People from Magway and Irrawaddy are also included.
"As long as we are not free, the people of our country will not have the same rights as everyone in free countries."
Among those arrested are politics, Many prominent figures from the social and artistic worlds as well as ordinary civilians are included.
A young IT technician said that the number of arrests has increased due to surveillance and incitement by supporters of the military.
"Technically, they didn't do anything special. We have to say that it is the main information. Technically, they don't have good control over Facebook. As for watching people all the time and posting them online, Those who monitor their digital contacts give them information all the time. Followed and spread the news. Then the man was arrested; I found this"
Those who pray to celebrate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday on social networks. Those who expressed their condolences for the airstrike in Kanbalu Township's Pazigyi village. A full year of coup He said that on the two-year anniversary, those instigating the silent strike were being asked to be arrested and identified through military council-backed Telegram channels, along with photos and personal information.
In this regard, RFA called General Zaw Min Tun, who is allowed to speak to the military council, today, but he did not pick up the phone. In May 2022, NUG, Advocating about CRPH, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun told RFA that if they encourage terrorism, they must be punished because it is against the law of terrorism.
U Kyaw Zaw, spokesman for the National Unity Government NUG presidential office, pointed out and criticized that arresting people just for writing on social networks violates a person's basic right to freedom of speech and writing.
"They're the other way around." They said that they have taken action against terrorism laws and inciting terrorism. They are the only ones doing violence. Those who write on this social network, after actually writing, After writing about the terrorist acts of the military council, he expressed his desire to protest against the terrorist acts. On the contrary, they are threatening to take action under the terrorism law. This is because it violates a basic human right, the right to freedom of speech and writing.”
Data for Myanmar reported that the majority of those arrested were Facebook users, with some TikTok and Telegram users included. He said that the number of people arrested due to writing and communication on social networks is about 65 on average every month.
Songwriter Nai Myanmar, the father of hip-hop singer Byu, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for criticizing the military council online, told RFA that as long as the country is not free, Burmese people will not have the same rights as everyone else in the world.
“It's a right that free people have. Our country is not free yet. No matter where you live in the world, It is very important for everyone to be free, regardless of skin color or religion. In our country, we are a country that has not yet been given the opportunity that an ordinary person in the world has the right to use. As long as we are not free, the people of our country will not have the same rights as everyone in free countries."
Such repression violates Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the right of everyone to access information without frontiers. Right to keep Human rights activists say that there is a violation of the right to distribution.
The military council is also said to be violating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 of the treaty states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
U Zaw Win, a human rights expert at Fortify Rights, a human rights group based in Southeast Asia, said that these actions need to be stopped.
"The Declaration of Human Rights; Human rights laws clearly state this. Contrary to that, the army arresting and imprisoning people like this is not compatible with human rights. freedom of expression; I have shown that there is no such thing as free writing rights. Doing something like that is not acceptable in any way. That is why the military must stop their unjust actions like this."
According to the Freedom on the Net - 2023 report released on October 4 by the US-based Freedom House, Myanmar is the second worst country in the world in terms of internet freedom.
On the other hand, the Military Council does not respect international provisions, and on the other hand, restricts websites, They are preparing to draft and enforce a cyber security law that could punish unauthorized use of VPN (Virtual Private Network) technology, which allows users to bypass applications, and punish them with up to three years in prison.