iMAP Myanmar 2023 Internet Censorship Report | Page 14 rose to nearly double compared to 200810 as the country made liberal moves with global trade and investment. As a result, Myanmar experienced an influx of foreign direct investment (FDI) in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, telecommunications, and tourism. The country's poverty rate also significantly declined. In 2015, the economy significantly grew while the liberalisation of product and factor markets, integration into regional markets, and modernization of economic and financial institutions and systems took place under the civilian government.11 Following the widespread pandemic and political crisis on 1 February, 2021, a state of emergency was declared. This affected economic collapse and resulted in almost half of the population living below the poverty line after two years of military ruling. Many foreign investors withdrew from Myanmar due to significant constraints, civil unrest, and foreign sanctions.12 The tourism industry and banking systems are near collapse. According to Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group, Myanmar now “stands on the brink of state failure”.13 Legal Environment After seizing power in a coup two years ago, Myanmar's military rulers declared a state of emergency, which has recently been extended for another six months.14 Over the past two years, the military authority has been observed to often take completely arbitrary action. Freedom House 2021 reported that Internet freedom in Myanmar collapsed following the February 2021 military coup. Furthermore, several laws were amended and proposed, which both directly and indirectly affect the freedom of expression online, access to information online, online privacy, censorship, and surveillance in the digital space in Myanmar. These are the laws related to censorship in Myanmar. ● ● ● ● 10 Constitution of the Republic of Myanmar (2008)15 Draft Cybersecurity Bill (2022)16 Electronic Transactions Law (2004,17 amended 202118) Telecommunications Law (2013)19 Maizland, L. (2022). Myanmar’s troubled history: Coups, military rule, and ethnic conflict. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/myanmar-history-coup-military-rule-ethnic-conflict-rohingya#chapter-title-0-6 11 World Bank. (2022). The World Bank in Myanmar: Overview. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/myanmar/overview#1 12 Maizland, L. (2022). Myanmar’s troubled history: Coups, military rule, and ethnic conflict. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/myanmar-history-coup-military-rule-ethnic-conflict-rohingya#chapter-title-0-6 13 Kurlantzick, J. (2021). Myanmar is a failing State—and could be a danger to Its neighbors. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/myanmar-failing-state-covid-19-crisis-global-response 14 Al Jazeera. (2023, February 1). Myanmar military rulers extend state of emergency by six months. Al Jazeera.https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/1/myanmar-military-rulers-extend-state-of-emergency-by-six-months 15 Myanmar. Const. 2008. 16 Draft Cyber Security Law. (2022). https://freeexpressionmyanmar.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Cyber-Security-Bill-2022-EN.pdf 17 Electronic Transactions Law. (2004). https://freeexpressionmyanmar.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Electronic-Transactions-Law-EN.pdf 18 Electronic Transactions Law 2004, Amendment. (2021). https://freeexpressionmyanmar.org/myanmars-new-electronic-transactions-law-amendment/ 19 Telecommunications Law. (2013). https://freeexpressionmyanmar.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/telecommunications-law-en.pdf