Drone Possession Leads to Lifetime Prison Sentence: The Story of Myanmar Filmmaker Shin Daewe

Unjust Incarceration: Shin Daewe’s Battle Against Oppression

In a striking example of the ongoing human rights abuses in Myanmar, documentary filmmaker Shin Daewe has been condemned to a lifetime in prison, reports Variety.

This alarming sentence was handed down after she was arrested for merely possessing a drone. Shin Daewe, a prominent figure in Myanmar’s film industry, known for works like “An Untitled Life,” “Take Me Home,” and “A Bright Future,” was seized in Yangon last October.

Her trial, devoid of Legal representation and conducted by a military tribunal inside the notorious Insein Prison, starkly highlights the relentless crackdown on freedom and dissent under Myanmar’s military junta.

Myanmar’s Descent into Despotism

Since the military’s forceful takeover in February 2021, Myanmar has been plunged into chaos, marred by civil war and the systematic erosion of civil liberties. The junta’s rule has not only devastated the economy but has also led to the persecution and imprisonment of other filmmakers, journalists, and photographers.

Shin Daewe’s case is not isolated; it is part of a broader, more sinister agenda to suppress any form of opposition or independent media coverage.

International Outcry and the Call for Justice

The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR), based in Europe, has vehemently denounced Shin Daewe’s imprisonment. The organization, deeply concerned about her well-being, has called for her immediate and unconditional release. Mike Downey, chair of the European Film Academy and a founding board member of the ICFR, criticized the junta’s tactics as an attempt to instill fear, suppress the truth, and violate basic human rights.

A Family’s Sorrow and the World’s Responsibility

Shin Daewe’s family, longing for her return, expressed their wish to see her resume her usual work. This personal tragedy is a microcosm of the broader struggle faced by the people of Myanmar. The conviction and the severe punishment meted out to Shin Daewe represent not just a violation of her rights but are indicative of the junta’s systematic attempt to obliterate freedom of expression and media.

A Call for Global Solidarity

The case of Shin Daewe is a stark reminder of the fragility of freedom and the need for global solidarity in the face of oppression. It is a call to the international community to not only recognize but actively oppose the injustices perpetrated by the Myanmar military junta. As the world watches, the fight for Shin Daewe’s freedom becomes emblematic of the larger battle for human rights and liberty in Myanmar.