Since the February 2021 coup, until 31 July 2024, 1,691 people have been arrested for online activities, including posting and sharing of content that criticises the junta or praises revolutionary movements.
The figures come from a report entitled ‘Crackdown on Digital Rights: Online Expression in the Face of Oppression in Myanmar’ by Data for Myanmar (D4M) an independent research organisation that says it provides useful data for the people in Myanmar after collecting and analysing data from various sources.
Most of the arrests were due to posts written and shared on Facebook, while others were detained for content posted on platforms like TikTok, Telegram, and Viber. On average, 54 online users have been arrested every month since the coup until July 2024, according to Data for Myanmar.
An official of the Myebon Youths Association (MYA) based in Myebon Township in Arakan (Rakhine) State said: "The junta made arrests even for criticism of its blatant violations of human rights. Despite committing terrible acts itself, the coup junta unjustly arrests those who speak out and criticise those actions.”
The report said that there had been arrests for social media posts in 220 of Myanmar's 330 townships. The highest number of cases occurred in Bago and Pyay townships in Bago Region, Chanmyathazi and Mahaaungmyay townships in Mandalay Region, and North Okkalapa Township in Yangon Region.
In 2022, there were 874 arrests for social media posts. In 2023 it was 615 arrests and from 1 January to 31 July 2024, 202 people were arrested, meaning that the level of arrests for social media posts is, so far this year, likeley less than for previous years since the coup
Naw Khin San Htwe, the General Secretary for the Burmese Women’s Union (BWU) said: "The fundamental cause of these arrests is the junta's coup, its excessive abuses of human rights, and its targeted aggression against the civilian population, all driven by its greedy pursuit of power. To address these issues, all tyrants, including the junta, must be uprooted and removed once and for all.”
The junta has threatened people who post "incitement, propaganda or threats” to social media with prosecution under Section 52(A) of the Counterterrorism Law, Section 124(A) and Section 505(A) of the Penal Code, and Section 33(A) of the Electronic Transactions Law.
Between the 1 February 2021 coup and 16 September 2024 the junta arrested 27,376 people. Of those, 20,888 remain in custody and of those, 9,398 have been sentenced to prison terms, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
