Life on the run is difficult for a well-known local journalist who continues to report despite an arrest warrant in his name.

David (a pseudonym) is a young man in his twenties from the Yangon Region who is a well-known local journalist, a former university student who began to get some traction with his reporting for a news agency when his university closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given the dangers he and his family face, we are keeping his identity a secret, hence the pseudonym.

David is a small-town boy who jumped on the opportunity the Myanmar government’s COVID-19 restrictions created to head out with pen, paper and smartphone to report the news. At the time, there were not many journalists pounding his beat, so he began to develop traction.

Then the Myanmar coup struck. When the security forces began shooting at the beginning of March 2021, reporting became difficult.

"Before the military junta seized power, I always participated in the protest movements and also covered the news pursuing my career. While recording, I was chased by the junta’s troops and told to stop video shooting. I had to run,” David told Mizzima.

The young reporter or citizen journalist ran from his hometown and hid in another place as he predicted the junta would soon be making arrests of anyone who opposed them, including journalists.

David had made a name for himself as a local reporter in his hometown. So, it was not surprising that when arrests were being made by the military junta, him home would be searched by junta troops.

He escaped. But a threat hangs over him.

“When the arrests started, I was charged under Section 505 (A) of the Penal Code and they came and searched my house. Anyway, I escaped because I fled the area early enough. They ransacked my house four times. Last November, a fugitive warrant was issued. I have been away from home for a year,” David said.

After being put on a warrant, he was removed from the news network of one of his news outlets for fear of being linked to a fugitive.

After a pause, he now secretly operates again.

"I lost contact with the news outlet while the Internet was shut down. Initially, the information that was received via phone was shared on Facebook groups in the township. As the military junta seized power, I stopped online activities and secretly operated for fear of harming my family members," he added.

David said it was difficult for him to get a job because he had been a student but had not had the chance to graduate.

Many staff or citizen journalists are struggling in the wake of the military coup. Nine media outlets, including Mizzima, DVB, 7day, Myanmar Now, and Khit Thit were closed down in March 2021. Also on 2 May, the Myitkyina News-Journal in Kachin State was banned.

More than 130 journalists have been arrested and more than 40 sentenced since the coup, a number of whom were badly treated while incarcerated. Also, more than 30 have been under warrants and three have been killed.

David continues to soldier on, despite the challenges.

“It is difficult to make a living from my hobby-career. When I was unemployed, I was trying to survive with the allowance that I received from the office and the help I received from my friends. I will be able to return home only if the Spring Revolution is successful,” he said.