PRESS RELEASE
APRIL 16, 2025
Justice For Myanmar calls on the Czech
government to investigate Compelson for
suspected violations of EU Regulations
Justice For Myanmar calls on the Czech government to immediately launch an investigation
into Prague-based digital forensics company Compelson s.r.o. for potential violations of EU
law through the supply of digital forensics technology to the Myanmar Police Force.
Evidence obtained by Justice For Myanmar confirms that Compelson has sold multiple
licences of MOBILedit Forensic Pro software to Myanmar police.
MOBILedit Forensic Pro enables users to extract data from phones, including bypassing
security protections and retrieving deleted data from secure messaging apps. It also has
cloud forensics features. The technology gives the Myanmar military, and the police force
which it controls, enhanced capabilities to target, surveil and arbitrarily detain those it deems
a threat.
Justice For Myanmar has seen numerous emails that Compelson sent to the junta police
force’s Cybercrime Division encouraging the purchase of licence renewals, which would
allow the police to update a software that enables surveillance and repression.
One email a Czechia-based Compelson International Business Development staff sent to
junta police in July 2021 encouraged them to update their software to enable “direct reading”
from Apple Watch and to access Linux, Android and mobile device vulnerabilities.
Since the military’s illegal coup attempt, the junta has arbitrarily arrested more than 29,000
people, including activists, journalists and human rights defenders who face torture and
death in custody. Detainees have reported having their phones confiscated and accessed.
The junta’s widespread and systematic campaign of arbitrary arrest, torture and murder of
civilians amount to crimes against humanity, according to reports by the UN Special
Rapporteur on Myanmar.
The MOBILedit Forensic Pro software appears to fall under Category 5A004 of the EU Dual
Use List, which covers systems designed to extract raw data from devices and circumvent
authentication. It also may have previously fallen under Article 3(b) of Council Regulation
(EU) 2018/647 of 26 April 2018 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Myanmar/
Burma.
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