A Myanmar court will rule on Monday on whether to charge two Reuters reporters accused of obtaining secret documents, a decision that could either see them freed after nearly seven months in jail or move the landmark press freedom case to trial.
The court in Yangon has been holding pretrial hearings since January to decide whether Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, should face charges under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
The case has attracted global attention. Some Western diplomats and rights groups say it is a test of progress toward full democracy under the administration of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in a country where the military still wields considerable influence.