A journalist was seen hugging his two-year-old daughter goodbye outside a Myanmar court as he faces 14 years in prison for allegedly breaching the Official Secrets Act.

Reporters Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, and Wa Lone, 31, who both work for the Reuters news agency, were arrested in Myanmar in December.

The journalists had been invited to meet police officers who worked in Rakhine state, where 688,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled an army crackdown on insurgents since late August, according to estimates by the United Nations.

They were arrested after allegedly accepting “important secret papers” from the two officers, who they had never met before.

Police sought permission from the nation’s president Htin Kyaw to proceed with an investigation just an hour after they were arrested, a Yangon court heard on Tuesday.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Yu Naing of Yangon’s northern district, told the court that authorisation was sought that evening from President Htin Kyaw’s office to proceed with a case under the little-used colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

The act dates back to 1923, when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was a province of British India.

“The accused were arrested around 9 o’clock on the 12th, and ... the letter to ask permission from the president’s office was ready at 10 o’clock,” said defence lawyer Than Zaw Aung.

Another defence lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, said the authorisation speed was unusual, and that it typically would be sought about a week into any probe and issued by a lower-ranked minister rather than the president.

The reporters have been accused under Section 3.1 (c) of the act, which covers entering prohibited places, and taking images or obtaining secret official documents that “might be or is intended to be, directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy”.

Rohingya refugees – in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees – in pictures A young girl and a baby wade through mud after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma on 10 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees walk through a camp in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after arriving from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures A young Rohingya refugee gathers firewood after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya refugees wait for sacks of rice to be distributed in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Getty Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees walk along the remains of a road after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Myanmar Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees stand in the rain after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees – in pictures Indian children hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma EPA/Raminder Pal Singh Rohingya refugees – in pictures Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organisation, listen to their leaders' speeches against Burma's persecution of Rohingya Muslims, during a demonstration in Karachi Reuters/Akhtar Soomro Rohingya refugees – in pictures Hundreds of Iranians take part in a protest against violence in Myanmar after weekly Friday prayers, in Tehran EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh Rohingya refugees – in pictures Indonesian Muslim activists hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya minority in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia EPA/Ali Lutfi Rohingya refugees – in pictures Members of an Islamic organisation shout slogans against the Burma government during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA

The Ministry of Information has previously cited police as saying the two journalists were “arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces”. It said they “illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media”.

A ruling on an application for bail will be announced at the court’s next hearing, on 1 February, Khin Maung Zaw said.

​In a statement, Reuters said: “We await the court’s ruling on bail. Time is of the essence and we continue to call for Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo’s prompt release. They are innocent of any wrongdoing and should be allowed to return to their jobs reporting on events in Myanmar.”

The two journalists were handcuffed as they were led into the court.

Wa Lone smiled and gave a thumbs-up sign to the crowd, which included relatives, reporters and diplomats from at least six countries and the United Nations and European Union.

During a break, the reporters received fruit from family members and spoke with them. Kyaw Soe Oo briefly hugged his two-year-old daughter.

Government officials from some of the world’s major nations, including the US, Britain and Canada, as well as top UN officials, have called for the reporters to be freed.