Myanmar junta amends law for more power on detentions, spying

Bloomberg

Myanmar’s military amended an existing law on privacy and security rights, giving it more power to detain people for longer and tap on their communications.
The junta, led by Min Aung Hlaing, signed a law that would allow it to make arrests or search private premises without warrants, according to the office of the commander-in-chief of defense services. It can also intercept communications and obtain personal information from telephone companies, or open private letters and packages.
The amendments will remain in effect only during the reign of the State Administration Council, a body that was formed to govern Myanmar following the military takeover earlier this month.
On February 1, the military — known as the Tatmadaw — detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders, declared a state of emergency for a year and voided her party’s landslide November election victory. Suu Kyi urged the country’s 55 million people to oppose the army’s move, calling it “an attempt to bring the nation back under the military dictatorship.”
Thousands are on the streets for a ninth straight day to protest the coup despite the risk of violence from security forces. The junta has stepped up its crackdown on civil servants, lawyers, and other professionals.
The junta late Saturday issued arrest warrants for seven activists including 1988 uprising leader Min Ko Naing and members of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party.
Activists said the amendments are a sign of tougher crackdowns to come.
“Anyone’s right can be violated any time,” said Maung Saung Kha, executive director of Athan, a Yangon-based freedom of expression advocacy group. “Anyone can be arrested anytime. No one feels safe at this point.”
Myanmar Military
Leaders Warn Media
Myanmar’s military leaders aren’t happy with the choice of words used to describe this month’s coup.
After the state of emergency that was “in accordance” with the constitution, some media are using “incorrect words” such as coup and referring to military as junta or regime, the Ministry of Information said in a statement to the Myanmar Press Council.
Inaccurate usage could be “acts of instigation that may arouse civil unrest,” it said. It’s also against publishing laws, the ministry said.
Earlier this week, the junta proposed a cyber security law that could see social media users fined or jailed for posts containing what it construes as “misinformation or disinformation that causes public panic.”
Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party said the cyber security law is another attempt by the junta to limit freedom of speech and access to the internet. The Myanmar Computer Federation, the largest private sector technology organisation, and affiliated groups said they strongly disagree to enactment of the law, citing a lack of public consultations and insufficient time to give expert input to the ministry.
At least 120 technology companies in Myanmar issued a statement to denounce the cyber security bill, which they said “violates the basic principles of digital rights, privacy and other human rights.”
“Given the current complex political situation, a regime fast-tracking bill is in violation with the fundamentals of the Constitution and will not create any positive values for the society,” the companies said.