A Chance to Fix in Time: Analysis of Freedom of Expression in Four Years Under the Current Government 2.1 Lawsuits under Telecommunications Law Telecommunications Law has turned six years and five months since it was enacted on October 8, 2013. Section 4 in Chapter 2 of the law describes that the objectives of the law as “to enable to support the modernization and development of the nation…, to enable to give more opportunities to the general public…, to enable to protect the Telecommunications Service providers and users in accord with law and to enable to supervise Telecommunications Service, Network Facilities and Telecommunications Equipment which require license…”. Although the original objective of the law was to regulate the foreign telecommunications companies it became a threatening weapon to people’s intrinsic right to freedom of expression in 2015 before the election period. The deteriorating cycle of lawsuits under Telecommunications Law began from Tatmadaw's filing lawsuit against a citizen for his online criticism of Tatmadaw in the 2015 election campaign. There were 11 Telecommunications cases under the previous government but there were 102 cases filed before the amendment of the law and 127 cases after the amendment under the incumbent government Many accused faced the trial staying in custody for several month until the trial ended because they could not get bail according to the Code of Criminal Procedure by which no one can get bail as the offence of Section 66(d) is punishable up to three years in prison. 11 Lawsuits under the government led by USDP 102 127 Lawsuits before the amendment under the government led by NLD Lawsuits after the amendment under the government led by NLD Figure - Lawsuits under the Telecommunications Law by period The amendment of Telecommunications Law followed the consecutive attempts of civil society organisations, legal experts and activists in August 2017. The amendment included this provision, “whoever commits act of 66(d) shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine not more than one million or to both”. Despite the decreased penalty and right to bail without detention, defamation clause, the main problematic part of the law was not removed. The Penal Code already prescribes the offences, punishment and legal provisions for defamation at Chapter 21, Section 500. The 9 Chapter (2): Freedom of Expression