Award-winning documentary filmmaker Shin Daewe sentenced to life in prison

Myanmar’s junta sentenced 50-year-old filmmaker Shin Daewe to life in prison on Wednesday in Yangon, convicting her of violating the country’s Counterterrorism Law after she was arrested in possession of a drone typically used for camerawork. Shin Daewe was tried in a closed military tribunal in the notorious Insein Prison after being detained with the drone three months ago in North Okkalapa Township, which is under martial law. The junta claimed she had supported “terrorist” activities, according to Myint Thu, one of her family members. A life sentence is the maximum punishment prescribed for the crime, and, since she was tried in a tribunal, she was not allowed to have a defence lawyer. The internationally acclaimed documentary producer and director has been in junta custody since October 15, and was said to have endured a week of torture in an interrogation centre after being arrested. “Since she was arrested, we have not been able to meet her,” Myint Thu told Myanmar Now. “We know this from a prison source close to her,” he added, referring to the reports of torture. “My sister is a documentary filmmaker, who has been doing this job for her entire life,” Myint Thu continued, explaining that in recent years, she had been focussed on charity work and film projects with displaced communities. “She was doing the same thing when she travelled and helped people in conflict areas. She has not committed any crime.” Calling her punishment “unjust,” Myint Thu asked that Shin Daewe be released immediately. Her previous work ranged from sitcoms to video news reporting, but Shin Daewe is best known for her documentaries. Among those selected for awards in international film festivals are “An Untitled Life,” the story of Myanmar painter Rahula, and the exploration of the life of a young girl in “Now I Am Thirteen.” A film she made about displaced persons in Kachin State, “Take Me Home,” was lauded as “Best Documentary” at Myanmar’s own Wathann Film Festival in 2013. Shin Daewe also worked as a video journalist for the local media group Democratic Voice of Burma from 2005 until 2010, where she covered the 2007 Saffron Revolution protests against the military regime at that time. She also filmed student-led demonstrations demanding changes to the national education law. According to the local monitoring group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, at the time of reporting, 25,785 people had been arrested by the junta since the February 2021 coup, more than 19,900 of whom remain in prison.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Shin Daewe sentenced to life in prison

The 50-year-old director is convicted in a closed military tribunal of violating the Counterterrorism Law for possessing a drone used in film production

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