ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship Country Event Contextualisation Cyber Security Law (2022) This law outlaws the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), infringing upon individuals’ right to access information online. Coup d’état (2021) On February 1, 2021, the Burmese military overthrew the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, ending several years of democratic transition. The military declared a state of emergency, citing allegations of electoral fraud during the November 2020 elections, which were won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). MYANMAR Fig. 5.2B: Contextualisation for Myanmar’s timeline, 2020-2023 Environment of Fear: Arrests, Executions, Lawsuits, and Everything Else in Between to Silence Pro-Democracy Movement The military started its coup with the arbitrary with a score of 28.26. However, it continues to be among the 10 most oppressive countries in the world in terms of media freedom.30 Digital Space & Online Freedom Status: Myanmar 40 detention of civilian heads of government on Feb. 31 1, 2021, when the Parliament was scheduled to 30 general elections. The military has since intensified its cracking down on dissenting voices, including netizens, human rights defenders, journalists, activists, Index Score convene for the first time since the November 2020 17 20 12 10 social media influencers, and political leaders through torture, arbitrary arrest, detention, and sentencing 0 of individuals, the blocking of websites and social 2020 2021 media platforms, ban on news outlets, and increased military propaganda. With the execution of at least four people, including activists and politicians by the military in July 2022, and many more on death row Year Media & Press Freedom Status: Myanmar 200 176 on an unprecedented scale.26 These regressions are 150 Myanmar has been ranked as the second-worst country globally for infringing upon internet freedom, Index Score also reflected in internet and press freedom indices: 2021.27 The score dropped to 12/100 in 2022.28 2023 Freedom House, Explore the Map, (n.d.), available at: https://freedomhouse.org/explore-the-map?type=fiw&year=2023 or facing death sentences, rights abuses are surging Freedom on the Net scored Myanmar 17/100 in 2022 10 139 140 2020 2021 173 100 50 trailing only China, according to the latest annual report on online freedom of expression published by Freedom House in 2023 with only 10/100.29 The World Press Freedom Index ranked Myanmar 176th out of 180 countries in 2022, with a score of 25.03 and in 2023, Myanmar climbed up to 173rd position, Myanmar 0 2022 2023 Year Reporters sans frontières, Classement, (n.d.), available at: https://rsf.org/fr/classement Fig. 5.3: Digital Space & Online Freedom Status (Freedom on The Net) and Media & Press Freedom (World Press Freedom Index) Ratings for Myanmar over the years, 2020-2023. 187