Myanmar releases Journalists imprisoned for flying a Drone

Two foreign journalists and their two local staffers have been released from prison in Myanmar, two months after they were arrested for filming with a drone near parliament buildings in Naypyitaw, the country’s capital, reports BBC. 

Singaporean Lau Hong Meng and Mok Choy Lin of Malaysia were arrested along with their local fixer Aung Naing Soe and driver Hla Tin on Oct. 27.

All four were sentenced to two months in prison under Myanmar’s 1934 Aircraft Act.

On Thursday, police dropped additional charges that could have seen the journalists imprisoned for years and set their release date for Jan. 5, but the four were released on Friday.

Aung Naing Soe told Reuters that their early release was as much of a surprise as the initial arrest.

“We have been arrested unexpectedly, and now we are so glad to be unexpectedly released like this,” he said.