Al Jazeera Media Network calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe oo.

The Al Jazeera Media Network has condemned prison sentences of seven years handed down by a Myanmar court to two Reuters news agency reporters and called for their immediate release.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have been jailed since their arrest on December 12, 2017, were found guilty on Monday of breaching a law on state secrets during their reporting of a massacre of Rohingya men.

The ruling sparked international outcry and described as a blow for Myanmar’s transition to democracy.

In a statement, Al Jazeera urged all those concerned with media freedom to play an active role in Demand Press Freedom, the Qatar-based network’s international campaign calling for the protection of journalists and media institutions.

“We take this opportunity to call for the release of all imprisoned journalists, including Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam and Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Hussein“, who is being held for more than 620 days in an Egyptian prison without any charges.

Managing Director of Al Jazeera English Giles Trendle said: “It’s a travesty of justice and a shameless attack on media freedom. We stand by our @Reuters colleagues in condemning it and call for their immediate and unconditional release.” #DemandPressFreedom #FreeWaLoneKyawSoeOo pic.twitter.com/6mMZz0T8o7 — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 3, 2018

Giles Trendle, managing director at Al Jazeera English, described the Myanmar court’s ruling “a shameful attack on media freedom”.

“We stand by our Reuters journalist colleagues … and we call for the immediate and unconditional release,” Trendle said.