Calls are growing for the release of Border News Agency (BNA) reporter Mu Dra, who has been held for over a week by the Arakan Army (AA) in Maungdaw Township.

Mu Dra was taken from her home on September 20 by the AA’s intelligence unit. According to her editor, Ko Kaung Myat Naing, there has been no contact with her family since a brief meeting with her father on September 22.

“As of today, she has not been released,” Ko Kaung Myat Naing said. “We don’t know why it’s taking so long.”

AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha confirmed the journalist was being questioned for "activities deemed harmful to public security," but described the situation as “not a formal arrest.” During the short family visit, Mu Dra was told she would be released upon receiving "higher orders," but she remains in custody.

The detention has prompted sharp criticism from press freedom advocates. The BNA has issued a statement calling for a resolution with “foresight and understanding” and respect for international law. The Independent Myanmar Journalists Association (IMJA) has also demanded her immediate release, highlighting the vital role of journalists.

The issue has gained international attention, with the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) releasing a statement on September 23. The group urged the Arakan Army to “immediately release the detained female journalist Mu Dra and allow all journalists in Rakhine State to report freely.”

BOB Post