‘Please Have Mercy.’ The Wives of Reuters Journalists Jailed in Myanmar Speak Out

The last time Kyaw Soe Oo spoke with his wife before his arrest, he played a prank on her. The Reuters journalist was on a trip to Yangon, Myanmar’s former capital, but on Dec. 12, 2017, he told his wife he had returned early to their home in Sittwe, Rakhine State. “Come open the door,” he urged. “I’m right here.” She fell for it, stepping into the humid evening only to find no one there. Neither of them knew then how long the joke would sting.

The last time Kyaw Soe Oo spoke with his wife before his arrest, he played a prank on her. The Reuters journalist was on a trip to Yangon, Myanmar’s former capital, but on Dec. 12, 2017, he told his wife he had returned early to their home in Sittwe, Rakhine State. “Come open the door,” he urged. “I’m right here.” She fell for it, stepping into the humid evening only to find no one there. Neither of them knew then how long the joke would sting.