緬甸指控五名新聞業者泄露“國家機密”

Burma has charged four reporters and the chief executive officer of a weekly journal with violating the country's state secret law for publishing a story on an alleged chemical weapons factory.

The case is renewing concerns about media freedom in Burma, also known as Myanmar, which has undergone a series of reforms since direct military rule ended in 2011.

The story, which appeared in the Rangoon-based Unity Journal on January 25, claimed a secret chemical weapons factory was being built in central Burma's Pauk township.

The government has acknowledged that the sprawling, 12-square kilometer facility is a defense ministry factory, but denies it has anything to do with chemical weapons.

The four editors and CEO were arrested last week. State media said late Wednesday they have been charged with disclosing official secrets and trespassing on restricted areas of the factory.

Officials said the charges were brought in accordance with Burma's 90-year-old State Secrets Act, though it is unclear what state secret, if any, was unveiled in the article.緬甸對一家週刊的四名記者和一名首席執行官提出指控，稱他們發表了一篇據稱是關於化學武器工廠的報道，從而違反了緬甸的國家祕密法。

這起案件再度讓人們對緬甸的新聞自由感到關注。緬甸自從2011年結束了直接的軍人統治之後，進行了一系列的改革。

這篇報道1月25日刊登在仰光的《團結雜誌》上。報道聲稱，緬甸中部的包鎮正在修建一座祕密化武工廠。

政府方面承認這座範圍足有12平方公里的設施是國防部的工廠，但否認與化學武器有任何關係。

週刊的四名編輯及首席執行官在上星期被捕。國家媒體星期三晚間說，他們已被指控泄露國家機密以及非法擅入工廠禁區。

有關官員說，控罪的依據是緬甸90年之久的《國家祕密法》，不過，當局沒有說報道到底泄露了什麼國家機密。