Ko Wa Lone and Ko Kyaw Soe Oo, the two jailed Reuters journalists are among those chosen by Time Magazine for their “Person of the Year”, as the famed publication recognized journalists around the world. Other two people were listed, one being Maria Ressa, founder of Rappler in the Philippines. Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi dissident writer, who was killed inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey, was also listed. “I hope that this is received by the public at large far, far beyond the Untied States as a reminder of the importance of defending free expression and the pursuit of truth and facts,” Ben Goldberger, Time Magazine’s assistant managing editor, was quoted as saying. The annual distinction recognizes the person, group or idea that had the greatest influence on global events. Previous winners include civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr and Queen Elizabeth. It has been one year since Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested at a restaurant in northern Yangon. Despite claims in court that their arrest was a deliberate set up, the pair was sentenced to seven years under the country’s Unlawful Associations Act. At the time of their arrest, they were investigating the killing of 10 Muslim men in Rakhine State.
