Nay Pyi Taw, Mar 25 (IANS): A Polish journalist working for dpa, the German press agency, in Myanmar has been freed nearly two weeks after his arrest by security forces.
On Thursday, Robert Bociaga took off from the airport in Myanmar's largest city Yangon and headed for Poland, where he is due to arrive on Friday, dpa said in a report.
The 30-year-old was arrested on March 11 in Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State.
At the time, Bociaga had been reporting from the region about the protests against the junta following the military coup in Myanmar on February 1.
"We are very relieved that Robert Bociaga is free and will soon be with his family again," said dpa Editor-in-Chief Sven Goesmann.
He however, warned that the situation for journalists in Myanmar and for the entire population remains very dangerous.
"We appeal to the transitional government to respect freedom of the press and human rights. The world and dpa will continue to watch what is happening in Myanmar closely," Goesmann added.
The case attracted attention internationally.
Reporters Without Borders was among the organisations that called for the immediate release of Bociaga and all other media workers arrested in Myanmar.
The German embassy in Yangon, which represents the consular interests of Polish citizens in Myanmar, had demanded immediate access and information about the reason for his imprisonment.
In Myanmar the military and police have been acting with increasing severity not only against demonstrators, but also against politicians, activists and journalists since the coup in early February.
According to estimates by the prisoner's aid organization AAPP, more than 2,900 people have been arrested so far.
More than 280 have been killed, AAPP tweeted on Thursday.
So far, however, foreigners have been considered to be relatively safe.
Some 600 detainees were released on Wednesday, most of them students.
Meanwhile, former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior members of her National League for Democracy party are still under detention.