Myanmar junta detains Japanese journalist

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - A journalist from Japan covering anti-coup demonstrations in Myanmar has been detained and moved to a prison in northern Yangon, officials confirmed on Monday.

According to Kyodo news agency, the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar said Kitazumi Yuki, 45, is kept in the Insein prison in Yangon.

Myanmar’s junta forces raided his house in Yangon on Sunday evening from where his belongings were confiscated.

Yuki reports for Tokyo-based Nikkei business daily.

“Kitazumi's current condition is unknown,” according to the embassy. However, the embassy officials said he is being questioned over “fake news.”

The journalist was active on social media sharing articles and photos about the ongoing anti-coup demonstrations in the Buddhist-majority country.

He was also detained on Feb. 26 by the Myanmar military before being released the same day.

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said: "We will do our best to protect Japanese nationals in the country."

Some 737 people have been killed in security forces’ crackdown on pro-democracy protesters since the Feb. 1 military takeover in Myanmar, said the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a local monitoring group.

More than 3,200 people are currently under detention in the country, the group said.