4/23/25, 1:31 PM Myanmar: Earthquake shows why freedom of expression must be protected - ARTICLE 19 In many areas, humanitarian actors are unable to assess needs or dispatch aid because digital and physical access continue to be blocked — by damage, repression, or both. The Myanmar military’s decision to continue denying international (https://www.article19.org) journalists’ entry, suppressing independent reporting, mirrors the catastrophic state obstruction seen during Cyclone Nargis in 2008, when tens of thousands of people died due to delayed response. Today, as the climate crisis intensifies the frequency and impact of such disasters, it is even more important that authorities are held accountable for censorship and restricting access to information, which directly contributes to more deaths and suffering. ARTICLE 19 condemns the military’s ongoing restrictions on freedom of expression and right to information and calls on the junta to immediately restore access to the internet across the country, and urgently lift all restrictions on independent reporting, along with other censorship measures. We also urge the international community, donor states, UN agencies, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chair Member State, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), humanitarian organisations, and the private sector to work in partnership and take the following urgent steps: 1. Exert pressure on the State Administrative Council to lift all censorship measures, including bans on media, VPNs, and social media platforms to protect freedom of expression. 2. Deploy emergency digital infrastructure and support open access tools to bypass firewalls and re-establish communications in blackout zones. 3. Support local journalists and human rights defenders to safely document ongoing crises, including the impacts of climaterelated disasters. Independent reporting can support accountability efforts to hold the military junta responsible for censorship, repression, and failure to provide life-saving assistance. https://www.article19.org/resources/myanmar-earthquake-shows-why-freedom-of-expression-must-be-protected/ 3/4