“Military Commission Arrested Nearly 50 Internet Users During Election Period”

The Myanmar Internet Project reports that at least 49 people were arrested for online expression during the military commission’s election period from November 2025 to January 2026, amid intensified digital surveillance and repression. Many were charged under a harsh election-protection law that allows severe penalties, including the death sentence. Authorities also restricted internet access nationwide, blocked VPNs, deployed signal jammers, expanded digital monitoring systems, and suspended bank accounts and SIM registrations. International watchdog Freedom House ranks Myanmar among the worst countries for internet freedom, while dozens of journalists remain detained, underscoring the systematic suppression of digital rights and free expression.