Myanmar police witness says searched Reuters reporters' phones without warrant

Detained Reuters journalist Kyaw Soe Oo arrives escorted by police before a court hearing in Yangon, Myanmar May 28, 2018. REUTERS/Ann Wang

YANGON (Reuters) - Police in Myanmar examined the mobile phones of two Reuters reporters accused of possessing secret documents without a search warrant after their arrests in December, an officer told a court on Monday, in what has become a landmark press freedom case.

Prosecution witness Major Aung Kyaw San said police did not have a warrant to search the phones because the reporters were accused under the Official Secrets Act, which gave officers the power to make arrests and begin an investigation without needing prior permission from a court.