Digital Coup

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

  • May (2) SAC’s Ministry of Immigration and Population announced population and household census data collection in October 2024 will be using mobile phones and tablets. 
  • May (5) Atom Sim users accepted a sms from Atom Myanmar to do the sim re-register that contained the nearest atom store location from the users’ destination. That may be concerns situation as to be tracking users’ location. 
  • May (6) According to the media freedom indicator reported by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) based on French, Myanmar ranks 173rd among the world’s 180 countries. 
  • May (9) There were difficulties with mobile internet usage in Monywa starting around 4:00 pm. MPT Internet connection black out and other operator’s internet connection are also difficulty. 
  • May (13) Civilians who live in Chin State faced difficulties to get the Mocha Cyclone information update because of SAC’s internet connectivity shut down. 
  • May (24) ByuHar, Hip Hop singer and composer criticizing electric outage via social media had been arrested in his house.
  • April 2   SAC alleged the local civilians that they were supported the PDF based on information written on Social Media posts. And then local civilians’ five houses sealed off by SAC.
  • April 3   SAC is forcing the taxi drivers who would like to run in Yangon International Airport Area to connect with Grab which uses the mobile application that can be tracked of passenger routes.
  • April 3    Over the four months of Mobile connection shutdown in Mintat, Matupi and Kanpalat Townships of Chin state.
  • April 3    It has been announced as the biometric matric data collection announcement for electronic identification (EID) on Naypyitaw Council Facebook Page.
  • April 4    SAC announced that including 13 women, 15 youths had been arrested for communication with NUG and implementation for illegal education. 
  • April 12    The SAC opened a case under Section 505-A and arrested eleven people, including singer May La ThanZin, actress May Panch, journalist U Kyaw Min Swe, and singer Shwe Yi Thein Tan, who expressed their condolences for the Pazi Gyi village airstrike online.
  • April 17    Since April 17th, Telenor (ATOM) and MPT wifi have been unusable in Hakha
  • April 24   The SAC has announced that playing PDF games, developed to collect funds for the revolution, can be prosecuted by law.
    • March 1   The Military Council promulgated the Anti-Terrorism by Law and enacted the issues related to the lawful Interception Framework for election informations in Chapter 14 of these laws.
    • March 2    According to the report of Access Now and KeepIOn, Myanmar was included in the most internet shutdown countries within 2022. 
    • March 4    Since January 7, SAC shut down the telephone connection in Matubi, Chin State, so local people faced the information unavailable and difficult to buy the food. 
    • March 5    In Tanintharyi Township, which is Martial Law area, many civilians were detained last week. Most of the arrested persons were arrested because they had conversations with the persons who were involved in the Revolution and found the donation records in their mobiles.
    • March 7    SAC arrested Ma Zin Moh Moh Phyu who was working in a retail shop because she shared “Khin U Local Guerrilla Force’s facebook post” on her personal facebook page. 
    • March 9    Two women – Molly Kim from Pyay town in Bago region and a lady from Pathein town of Ayeyarwaddy region were arrested yesterday as the junta regime alleged that the duo were actively sharing Facebook posts relating to the anti-junta movement in Myanmar.
    • March 12   The director-general of the ministry’s telecommunications department, controlled by the SAC, Myo Swe, was invited to attend the ICANN conference
    • March 13  Post and Telecommunication Department (PTD) under the SAC announced that the Mobile Sim Card will terminate within 30 days if it is not registered.
    • March 15 SAC’s Lobby channels are encouraging and prompt to ban mobile communication in the military operation areas.  
    • March 17  The parents of the students who enroll in FOEIM, including a 72 years old parent because of a student list leak. 
    • March 21  Tom Andrews,UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar UN said that the Governments and Companies that are selling, providing service, transferring and exporting the Intelligence technologies to SAC must be prohibited by UN. 
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    • February 1  Acting president and highest authorized person of NUG, Duwa Lashi La’s Facebook account was hacked. 
    • February 1  Sexually oriented photos obtained after inspection of Arrested Persons’ Mobile phones, were distributed through Military lobbyist telegram channels.
    • February 3  After reported that a military helicopter was shot down In Homalin Township, Sagaing Division, mobile phone connection had been cut in the place of Shwe Pyi Aye of Homalin Township. 
    • February 6  U Htin Lin Aung, the Union Minister of the Ministry of Communications, Information and Technology of the National Unity Government of Myanmar said in the Town Hall meeting, they support the internet connection in some areas dominated by them. 
    • February 13  SAC’s Ministry of Information reported that Coup leader visited and inspected the Myanmar Electronic Voting Machine (MEVM) developed by the Union Election Commission which was influenced by the Military Council and test voting. 
    • February 21  FOEMI school’s student lists leak that are included in the Interim Education Program of NUG and parents of students are facing additional problems such as Extortion and/or Intimidation.
  • January 1        SAC detained the people in Mawlamyine who did Like or comment on the social media pages of NUG, CRPH, PDF and persons who are popular in the Revolution . 
  • January 4        One Day Internet restored in Kachin (Hpakant) state and some townships of Sagaing Division (MyinMu/Salingyi/Ayadaw/YinMarBin/Kanbalu /Katha /KawLin/ Budalin/Ye-U/Tabayin /Khin Oo/ Indaw/ Kyun Hla) with Atom/Mytel Sim Cards. 
  •  January 10     Internet users located in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay are facing slow connection and having trouble with VPN use.
  •  January 15    In 2023 December 15, Justice for Myanmar released a report based on the documents leaked in 2023 January 2 that NASDaQ-listed Israeli based Cognyte Software Limited selled (in 2020 december) the lawful interception equipment to Myanmar posts and Telecommunication (MPT) that may be possible breach of international and israeli law.
  • December 1     Han Nyein Oo Telegram Channel described that SAC is checking mobile phones and detaining people who travel around in Mandalay.
  • December 3    Travelers’ NRC cards and mobile phones who travel by passenger cars were checked near Myanmar Kyaung, KyarNiKan, Mandalay.    
  • December 4    It was difficult to use the Telecom lines including MPT and Telenor starting December 4 evening in Gangaw. 
  • December 5    Although MPT, Atom and Ooredoo have opened to use the 2G in Kawlin Township, it was happening difficult to use the phone calls.  
  • December 7    In Mandalay, between December 1st and December 7th, there were arrested at least four people who used the applications in their mobiles, which supported the revolution.
  • December 7 According to the separate Record by RFA based on the SAC’s statements, more than 800 people who wrote against the dictator on social networks had been arrested within January to November (ten months) 2022.
  • December 13    In Hlaing Tharyar, Yangon , Wave Money agents said that they had been pressured to collect user data ( Name, Identity Card Number, addrese) via ward administrators. 
  • December 15     Posts and Telegraph Department released the announcement for sim registration on December 15. It is included as mobile users, check whether the registration information and if it is necessary to amend before January 31,2023.
  • December 19    Some Villages which are located beside the river of Chindwin have been cut mobile connection.  
  • November 1 – The Ministry of Transportation and Communication of SAC called for a tender to implement the SIM Registration Management System. According to the data which was involved in the tender announcement, they would use the Universal Service Funding to develop it. 
  • November 3 – SAC’s Post and Telecommunication Department has had an announcement to re-register sims with incorrect information before January 31, 2023. 
  • November 3 – Hpakant, City of Kachin, the mobile internet was restricted by SAC, is installing Mytel Wifi. After over a year of mobile internet shutdown in this area, SAC is implementing this plan. They limited the internet speed and user quantity. It can use only 5 mbps and only five users can connect to a machine. 
  • November 14 – Locals reports that the military personnel are checking mobile devices in ThanatPin Tsp. using portable wifi devices.
  • November 20 – On November 20, 2022, a UNHCR fake facebook page was found on social media. This page was written to apply for UNHCR cards via this page. 
  • October 1 – Multiple internet and cellular shutdown in Chin state and Sagaing Region
  • October 4 – Connectivity blackout in Banmauk as military’s retaliation
  • October 7 – Kawlin, which is frequently subjected to internet shutdown, have had cellular connectivity shutdown again on 7th of October starting from 1PM.
  • October 9 – Cellular Blackout in Matupi and Palatwa
  • October 9 – Mizzima reports that MPT connectivity has been cut in ChiPhway region after the military convoy has been confiscated by revolutionary forces
  • October 18 – Myanmar was described ​as a country that scored only 12 points out of hundred points for the country’s Internet Freedom ranking , according to the Freedom House’s Freedom on the Net Report and to the FEM’s Freedom of the Net Myanmar report. It declined 5 points compared with last Year. 
  • October 27 – Telephone connectivity shutdown in Pale
  • September 2 – SAC’s spokesperson announce development of Mtube, youtube like platform on September 2nd.
  • September 5 – Ooredoo reported to be bought by One Matrix Ventures (TOMV), a Singapore based venture, owned by Myanmar Business Tycoon U Myo Myint Ohm
  • September 8 – Wave money announced to implement compliance with SAC controlled Central Bank’s directive requesting more information in mobile transactions
  • September 16 – Junta led Central Bank of Myanmar announce to terminate non-identified level 1 Kpay and Wave Money accounts.
  • September 19 – Junta announced to terminate services of incorrectly registered sim cards 
  • September 20 – Junta threatens supporters of NUG, CRPH, PDF and other revolutionary forces with heavy sentences according to Junta’s spoke person Zaw Min Tun
  • September 21 – Junta announced to track down and severely criminalize supporters of revolutionary forces. Followed closely by termination of a large number of KPay accounts without concrete justification
  • September 22 – Junta issue directive to take block revolutionary support application and games such as PDF Hero, PDF Hero 2, End Game – Union Multiplayer War of Heroes and to identify and take measures against advertisers in the game space
  • September 23 – Junta appointed Information Sheet and Counter – Affairs group announced to develop an application that will allow military personnel to free data access through Telecom provider networks
  • September 24 – Temporary Fiber internet disruption in Sanchaung tsp., Yangon, due to removal of unauthorized fiber cables from electric pylons
  • September 27 – Junta jails model Nang Mwe San on 6 years prison sentence under Electronic Transactions law article 33 (a), the same law which was used to oppress activists online and one of the frequently cited laws by the Junta to oppress online freedom of expression.
  • September 28 – MOTC announced verification of registration of SIM cards in cross reference with the e-ID database, said to contain data of 52 registered populace.
  • August 5 – Nan Mway San and Thinzar Wint Kyaw, prominent actresses, detained by SAC on August 5, 2022, citing on Electronic Transaction Law due to sexually explicit content on social media
  • August 8 – In Ayardaw, Sagaing Division, Atom Phone lines went out of service and MPT phone lines were also reportedly cut on August 8. 
  • August 10 – Slow national internet anomaly around 11 PM on August 10 until the evening of August 11. The anomaly was reportedly due to SE-ME-WE 5 Error.
  • August 15 – SAC issued a confidential directive for the Kpay and Wave Money Mobile Transaction Agents to install CCTV recordings along with the mandatory requirement for NRIC cards during transactions
  • August 17 – SAC claim to be developing Alternative Social Media in place of Facebook – a platform which has been regularly removing Junta affiliated pages and representative entities from it’s platform due to violations.
  • August 21 – Mobile Phone Connections have been unserviceable in southern Myain Township.
  • August 28 – YCDC and YESE conducted removal of Fiber cables installed through electricity pylons in Yangon in Insein, Hlaing Thar Yar Townships. More townships reports issues connecting to home fiber internet and wifi connection.
  • August 30 – Over 30 villages east of Maungdaw Tsp., Rakhine (TangPro, Khamaung Seik, Bandula, etc.) reportedly experienced Mobile connectivity shutdown
  • July 25 – SAC executed Ko Jimmy, Ko Zayar Thaw, Ko Hla Myo Aung and Ko Aung Thura Zaw : causing major dissents within and without the country, personnel changing their profile pictures as commemoration on Social Media are also reportedly arrested on checkpoints
  • July 20 – Vimeo Streaming and Video Streaming Platform terminated MRTV from accessing their services
  • July 20 – Following the data leak through arrest of the Founder, 5 underage students from Pyi attending Kaung For You Education were arrested by SAC forces
  • July 20 – Ooredoo rumored to exit from Myanmar according to Reuter
  • July 19 – SAC imposed mobile network shutdown in conflict prone Yaw Region amidst existing internet shutdown
  • July 14 – MRTV reported multiple arrest of personnel based on their social media activities
  • July 13 – Founder and operational chief of Kaung For You Education, a NUG affiliated private education establishment was been detained by SAC leading to the exposure of personally identifiable information regarding hundreds of thousands of CDM students and teachers – series of arrests were made
  • July 11 – SAC plans to establish and expend facial recognition CCTV systems in Major Cities backed by Chinese Technology
  • July 6 – Dacast Streaming and Video Streaming Platform terminated MRTV from accessing their services
  • June 18 – JFM’s reportage on Mytel’s sales activity within the Military
  • June 7 – UN human rights experts today condemned the Myanmar military junta’s attempts to establish a “digital dictatorship” in Myanmar by imposing further restrictions on the access to internet, internet shutdowns, online censorship, surveillance and other barriers to internet access.
  • June 3 – Now SAC affiliated Telenor Myanmar officially changed its name to “Atom Myanmar”
  • May 28 -Cellular and Internet Shutdown in Ten townships of Sagaing and Magway regions in addition to targeted internet shutdown in Monya-A Myint Road Area
  • May 24 – Internet and Mobile coverage shutdown in some townships
    of Sagaing region, including Kantbalu, Myinmu, Kyunhal, Monywa, Khinoo,
    Yahoo and Kawlin for approximately 7 hours
  • May 19 – Targeted internet shutdown during military operations in Saw Township
  • May 18 – Eectricity and internet shutdown in Phekon area in Shan State
  • May 13 – SAC to force registration of IMEI numbers along with existing SIMS registration, levying further taxes.
  • May 7 – SAC conducted raid on Narinjara Media Office, a local ethnic media based in Sittway, Rakhine.
  • April 24  – Telenor under new ownership pressured to re-register the sim cards
  • April 16 – Internet connectivity was restored in Hkamti & Homemalin Tsp.
  • April 8 – SAC pressured Telecom’s and ISP’s to block NUG, CRPH, Media pages & associated accounts of dissents
  • April 4 – Internet connectivity was temporarily restored in Hpakant for 15 days from 4th of April to 18th of April through Mytel Sim Cards exclusively
  • March 31 – 17 hours long internet shutdown from the evening of Mar 31 until April 1, 9 in the morning in Taung Pyout Estate in Thayatchaung tsp. in Tanintharyi Region
  • March 20 – Telenor Myanmar Operations were formally handed over to Investcom Pte., concluding it’s sale.
  • March 18 – Sale of Telenor Myanmar Operation was approved by the SAC
  • March 3 – Starting from the night of March 3, internet shutdown was directed by SAC targeting nearly all of the Sagaing township with the exclusion of Monywa, Sagaing, Kalay and Shwe Bo tsp..
  • March 3 – Investcom Pte. was registerd a Myanmar branch. Directors include Lebanese nationals Hicham Ramadan and Rana Shatila as well as Win Paing Kyaw and Soe Thiha, affiliates of the head of SAC.
  • February 26 – Amidst the ongoing Internet Shutdown in Chin State, MyTel Sim Users were able to access the internet for 2 hours a day as reported by locals
  • February 22 – Confiscation of Mobile Devices form the populace of Kayin State, An Pha Lay Village by SAC forces
  • February 12 – During the Union Day, internet shutdown was instated by SAC in several major cities to disrupt the public movements
  • January 21 – In response to increasing commercial tax on SIM cards and internet services, telcos raise mobile data prices again in addition to
  • January 21 – Acquisition of Telenor’s Myanmar operations by Lebanese M1 Group and Junta affiliated  were approved by SAC
  • January 16 – Mobile Connectivity were temporarily shutdown in Kayin sate, Pharpon District
  • January 13 – Cyber Law Draft 2.0 by SAC was released. The clauses include criminalization of the use of VPN and other circumvention technologies
  • January 6 – Mobile Connectivity were temporarily shutdown in Sagaing Region
  • January 6 – SAC announced it will levy a 20,000 kyat commercial tax on the sale of SIM cards and a 15% tax on the incomes of internet providers through amendment of Union Tax Law.
  • December 19 – SAC temporary targeted internet and mobile connectivity shutdown in Lay Kay Kaw township, where conflict between KNU and SAC forces have resulted in heavy losses of SAC forces
  • December 8 – The Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications issues a directive re-introducing a data price floor — prices of mobile data increase two-fold
  • December 7 – Meta Removes Myanmar army-linked business from Facebook
  • November 19 -YESC issued a notification directing the removal of fiber wires from light poles
  • November 10 – Irrawady news reported IGE group, Amara Communications Co.,Ltd, KT group and family members of head of SAC, Min Aung Hlaing, has been trying to acquire Telenor’s Myanmar Operations
  • November 9 – Conflict between AA (Arakan Army, EAO) and SAC forces took place in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State.
  • November 1 – SAC amended clauses pertained in the Broadcasting Law to include “Any other technology” targeting media freedom
  • October 8 – SAC imposed internet shutdown in Mindat and Matupi Township, Chin State
  • September 26 – Internet and mobile connection shutdown in Kawlin, Wuntho and Pinlal Buu township in Magway Region
  • September 23 – SAC imposed Internet Shutdown in Kantkaw, Myaing and Htee Lin townships in Magway Region and Htantalan, Phalan, Teetain, Tunzan, Matupi, Mindat, Palatwa townships in Chin State. SAC issued announcement on September 25 that the shutdown was attributed toward the activities of National Union Government (NUG) and People Defend Forces (PDFs)
  • September 15 – Telenor Myanmar issued statement that continued presence in Myanmar is not possible because of continued pressure from the SAC to install and activate surveillance equipment and systems
  • September 14 – Internet Shutdown in Kani, Yinmarbin, Butlin, A Yar Taw, Watt Lat and Pale township in Sagaing Region and Mogoke and Myinchan township of Mandalay State. Additionally, locals reported being unable to access the internet in Taung Twin Gyi Township of Magway Regions. Moreover, there were also reports from Yay Oo and Tent Si townships of Sagaing Township.
  • September 7 – Nikkei Asia revealed uncertainty regarding the sales of Telenor Myanmar Operations to M1 Group
  • September 5 – Dawei News Page reported internet disruption and shutdown with Telenor, Oredoo mobiles and MBT wifi connectivity. Although the disruption or shutdown took place only for 2 hours, we note that  MPT and Mytel connectivity remained operational throughout the incident.
  • August 20 – SAC directed internet shutdown including Wifi broadband and Mobile data access in Hpakant region in Kachin State though shutting down 50 cellular towers in the region
  • August 6 – SAC started widespread monitoring and seisure of Bank Accounts and Transactions supporting the CDM and revolutionary movements.
  • July 8 – Telenor have decided to engage in the sale of its Myanmar Operations to Lebanese M1 Group due to deteriorating situation in Myanmar.
  • July 5 – Frontier reportage indicated SAC’s cybersecurity team working with mobile operators to attempt and coerce the installation and activation of Interception Technology. Moreover, more reports revealed that executive level employees from Telecom communication were barred from leaving the country.
  • June 4 – SAC conducted widespread internet shutdown, including mobile internet and multiple broadband connectivity, coinciding with the National Union Government’s first Press Release event.
  • May 25 – SAC released the list of over 1,200 online services and domain names allowed for public access excluding Facebook and Twitter, Mobile data was accessible through the use of VPNs.
  • May – Mobile connectivity Shutdown started from April 1, continued to be present throughout May. Technologists were able to access the internet through mobile data with the use of VPNs.
  • April 28 – SAC controlled Central Bank announced that Intranet connectivity is in place for access to major financial services. Operators followed suit to announce “white-list” of major financial services such as banking applications and inclusion of some office suite packages such as Office 365 through mobile and broadband connectivity.
  • April 27 – SAC ended the Internet Curfew, nightly internet shutdown from 1:00 AM to 9:00 AM, however, broadband internet connectivity and mobile connectivity remain inaccessible.
  • April 1 – All internet connectivity with the sole exclusion of Fiber Internet was restricted across the country. Wireless broadband connectivity was also restricted. Only very few having access to fiber connection were able to access the internet. Accessibility and usability of financial services such as online banking services were severely restricted.
  • March 31 – SAC’s court date with State Counsellor Aung San Su Kyi for charges pressed against her were postponed due to internet shutdown that was imposed by the SAC again. 
  • March 15 – In addition to the Internet Curfew, Mobile Internet Access was blocked for the whole day. Moreover, SAC’s court date with State Counsellor Aung San Su Kyi for charges pressed against her were postponed due to internet shutdown that was imposed by the SAC itself.
  • March 1 – New York Times coverage on the Junta’s possession of Israeli surveillance drones, EU and US made interception and forensic software raises concerns among Myanmar Netizens
  • February 15 – Two weeks into the attempted coup, Junta conducted third internet shutdown and the date also marked the initiation of the famed “Internet Curfew” which restricted all internet connectivity from 1 to 9 AM in a nightly routine shutdowns. On February 22, amidst the heightened protest movements, the curfew was extended until 12 PM.
  • February 12 – 29th United Nations Human Rights Council issued a resolution calling for the immediate lifting of restrictions on the internet, telecommunications and social media, in accordance with international human rights law.
  • February 9 & 10 – Junta made developed a list of IP address to restrict access through local Telecos. Bangkok Post featured a coverage on it and Telenor Myanmar Website also made statements in regards to the blocking of Websites.
  • February 9 – The first victim of the brutal breakdown on protesters – 19 years old Mya Thwae Thwae Khaing was fatally shot by the police in Nay Pyi Taw, the first of many victims yet to come.
  • February 3 – Temporary restriction of access toward Facebook until February 7 by SAC through a directive toward Telcos and International Gateway operators.
  • February 1 – The military launched the coup, arrested personnel and took control of the country by assuming the role of State Administration Council (SAC) during the event, internet connectivity was severely restricted between 1 AM to 1 PM.