Myanmar - January 2025

 Myanmar’s military junta enacted a new cybersecurity law on 1 January, which ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights described as “draconian legislation [that] is a calculated attempt by the junta to suppress dissent, stifle free expression, and violate the privacy of Myanmar’s citizens.” The law includes a wide range of penalties for digital platforms and users who circulate “disinformation” or “rumours” and requires the former to keep the names and personal details of users on file for authorities. It allows the junta to shut down any internet services on the grounds of state security, mandates up to six months in prison for distributing “inappropriate” information or for installing or using an “unauthorized” virtual private network (VPN), and specifies that it applies to Myanmar citizens abroad.

Sources : The Diplomat, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, The Irrawaddy