Annex
to Recs
process, MCRB has conducted preliminary research into what the characteristics of a
human rights respecting model of lawful interception might look like in Myanmar. These
findings are presented below and aim to provide useful information to the Government of
Myanmar and other stakeholders involved in drafting this legislation, including the 2016
Parliament.
These recommendations 12 set out the principle considerations as the Government of
Myanmar begins to develop an approach to regulation and legislation on communications
surveillance covering 7 main issues: 13
The Characteristics of a Rights-Respecting Lawful Interception Model
1. Prerequisites
2. Authorisation Processes
3. Oversight
4. The notification of individuals
5. Remedy
6. Transparency
7. Provision for Framework Review
1. Prerequisites Before Lawful Interception Should be Considered
Lawful interception should be undertaken only when other potential measures that
could have been used to deal with the criminal or national security threats have been
exhausted, for example other police measures that do not involve surveillance.
Any type of surveillance should be carried out only on targeted suspected individuals
and organisations where there is prior suspicion that the targeted subject is suspected
of a crime. 14
Misuse of intrusive capabilities should be a criminal offence and surveillance used
outside the legal frameworks should be prohibited.
The legal framework authorising lawful interception and access to user data should be
established through primary legislation and debated in the legislative branch, rather
than being adopted as subsidiary regulations enacted by the executive. Public
consultation and involvement of stakeholders is a vital part of the policy-making
process because many of the processes under the legislation will be carried out
behind closed doors, without the opportunity for public scrutiny. It is even more
important therefore that the public has a say in establishing the framework.
• The Government of Myanmar has committed to a public consultation of draft lawful
interception regulations. 15
12 These recommendations draw on recent reports to the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council,
including the Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of
opinion and expression A/HRC/23/40 (June 2013); The Right To Privacy in the Digital Age, UN Resolution
68/167 adopted 21st January 2014 ; Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights, presented to the Human Rights Council in September 2014 A/HRC/27/37 and the Report of the UN
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while
countering terrorism to the UN General Assembly in September 2014 A/69/397
13 The issues addressed cover both lawful interception (real time access to communications) and access to
historical data (which has a number of different terms in law in different jurisdictions including communications
data and metadata,
14 See: UN General Assembly A/69/397 23rd September 2014
15 See the announcement on p5 of the Public Consultation Issued by the Ministry of Communications and
Information Technology of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Proposed Rules for Telecommunications
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ANNEX TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS:
LAWFUL INTERCEPTION AND GOVERNMENT ACCESS TO USER DATA