Freedom of Expression During Myanmar’s Revolution: The Gap Between Legal Provisions and Practice Such fragmentation of authority and procedural inconsistency affects not only individual journalists’ ability to gather news, but also collective forms of public expression, including the rights to peaceful assembly and to protest. Interview data further indicate that there are contested and disputed practices in how authorities implement the restrictions under interim arrangements. A political activist who participated in the research interviews explained how legal restrictions from interim arrangements function in practice to suppress public voices on the ground: “In the interim arrangements, rights such as peaceful assembly and the right to march are restricted by legal wording. When protests emerge to expose injustice at the local level or to express public grievances, they are often labelled as activities opposing the revolutionary government or as unlawful actions. In some cases, such responses have included violent crackdowns, the use of armed force, and arrests of those involved.”25 In summary, these findings indicate that while the Sagaing Federal Unit Interim Constitution recognises freedom of expression at a conceptual level, in line with international standards, it cannot systematically protect and promote it amid fragmented administration and security justifications. 5.4 Mandalay Region Interim Political Plan Unlike the Sagaing Region, the Mandalay Region is not an area of intense armed resistance. However, it constitutes an urban–military interface where military operations, administrative control, and urban civilian life intersect. The Mandalay Region Interim Political Plan recognises freedom of expression and related rights as fundamental rights. This section examines the commitments to freedom of 25 An activist from Sagaing Region 25