Overarching legal framework 5. 1 country:5 “Improve the Constitution” – No implementation. No change. FEM led 20 national and international organisations in submitting FoEI recommendations to the parliamentary “Constitution Amendment Committee”.6 However, the Committee did not engage with civil society and the Committee’s final recommendations excluded any substantive human rights recommendations, including on FoEI.7 6. 2 countries:8 “Use a human rights approach when reforming laws” – No implementation. Regression. Since 2015, the process of legal reform has been opaque, inaccessible, and arbitrary in nature.9 Over the past year, the State has increased barriers to civil society consultation in parliament, including by ordering MPs not to meet with civil society.10 Although the Association Law provides that registration is not mandatory, in practice State individuals and institutions will not engage with unregistered civil society organisations. 7. 3 countries:11 “Strengthen the rule of law, legal standards, and judicial reform” – No implementation. No change. Case law shows that the courts still do not defend FoEI, and indeed the courts pose a significant punitive threat to those facing FoEI-related criminal prosecutions.12 8. 8 countries:13 “Strengthen the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission” – No implementation. No change. The Commission does not prioritise investigations into violations of civil and political rights, including FoEI, and does not consider holding perpetrators accountable to be one of its primary goals.14 Since 2015, all commissioners have been replaced, without consultation, by the State, and none of the current commissioners have backgrounds in human rights. 9. 9 countries:15 “Investigate and end reprisals and impunity” – No implementation. No change. Legal, physical, and psychological violence towards journalists and HRDs has increased since 2015.16 There has been no adequate investigation into the five journalists who have been killed in Myanmar, 1 of which was killed since 2015.17 The State has also become less willing to address crimes against expression.18 Media freedom 10. 8 countries:19 “Reform laws to protect media freedom and freedom of expression” – No implementation. Regression. Media freedom and the State’s public support for media freedom have both declined since 2015.20 Previous commitments to amend the News Media Law have been left in opaque limbo and the law continues to interfere in FoEI.21 No attempt to amend the Printing and Publishing Law, which similarly interferes in FoEI, has been made or promised.22 The Broadcasting Law was superficially amended in www.FreeExpressionMyanmar.org – www.facebook.com/FreeExpressionMyanmar - coordinator@FreeExpressionMyanmar.org - page 2