The junta, which has been conducting both technological and human surveillance on election-related activities online and on the ground, has arrested 47 individuals for expressing their opinions online over the past three months, according to data from the Myanmar Internet Project (MIP).
Most of the arrests were made under the Election Protection Law, and the detainees include individuals from various social backgrounds — even some junta supporters.
The junta has also issued threats against social media users who post, share, comment on, or react to content critical of the elections. As a result, monitoring and surveillance have intensified both online and offline, according to Ko Thit Nyan, a representative of MIP.
“We are monitoring both online and offline activities, including social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Telegram. Most of the arrests are happening through Facebook,” he said.
The junta introduced the Election Protection Law in July, using it to justify intimidation and censorship in order to ensure the “success” of its election.
The first person arrested under this law, “Nay Thway” from Taunggyi, was sentenced to seven years in prison. In addition, several filmmakers and actors were also detained for allegedly criticizing pro-election films.
Ko Thit Nyan emphasized that freedom of expression is a fundamental right essential to social life, and that by suppressing it, the junta has turned the elections into a sham.
“Elections that block this right are fake, fraudulent, and staged. Basic social life is restricted, affecting people’s ability to speak, eat, move, and act freely. If this continues, more crimes against humanity may occur,” he said.
According to MIP, the junta has also expanded its control over the public by targeting VPN users, confiscating money, and implementing the Person Scrutinization and Monitoring System (PSMS) across the country over the past three months.
