Today, the most basic of globally recognized civil and political rights are not respected by Burma's generals, despite the fact that Burma is signatory to several of the most important international human rights treaties. There is no freedom of expression. Even art exhibitions must be approved by military authorities. Beyond sports and romance magazines, the few independent publications that survive are subject to severe censorship. The regime's Press Scrutiny Board orders articles even obliquely critical of official actions inked over or torn from offending issues, while state newspapers are filled with crudely virulent attacks on democratic forces.
Broadcast media are even more closely controlled.
State-monopoly radio and television offer endless images of the junta's generals cutting ribbons and making speeches. Burmese do seek other sources for accurate news. International radio stations such as the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Voice of America, the Democratic Voice of Burma, and Radio Free Asia estimate that their Burmese audience is perhaps greater per capita than anywhere else in the world. The junta's unrelenting efforts to quash free expression continue. These are among many repressive measures enforced without regard to international standards or Burma's own constitution.