Freedom of Expression During Myanmar’s Revolution: The Gap Between Legal Provisions and Practice actions as being undertaken under this Plan. As a result, protections for freedom of expression become ineffective in practice. According to focus group discussions and research interviews, in nearly all regions, Starlink internet services have been cut off, and news gathering and reporting have been restricted on security grounds. A local journalist from Karenni State said, “We can’t report about military operations. The public’s right to know and journalists’ right to seek information are effectively absent. In those situations, freedom of expression is therefore undermined. At the same time, it is difficult to complain because their justification provided is the security of military operations.”34 A displaced person from the Karenni State said, “We’ve heard that Starlink internet will be cut off because the military airstriked in our township, Mawchi township. But we don’t exactly know why it happened. We’re just told that the information was leaked because of communication via Starlink. Sometimes, they would shut down everything.”35 A member of the Independent Myanmar Press Council said in an interview, “There is censorship in some places. For example, we are required to show the photos we plan to use to the authorities before publishing a report. There have also been instances of threats.”36 A Sagaing-based activist stated, “For security reasons, in some areas where there are heightened military tensions or attacks by the military, certain regulations regarding internet use are imposed.”37 34 A journalist from Karenni State A displaced person from Karenni State 36 A member of Independent Myanmar Press Council who participated in the research interview 37 An activist from Sagaing Region 35 31