Junta Announces Enforcement Date for Repressive Cybersecurity Law, Raising Fears of Extortion and Arbitrary Arrests

July 31, 2025

HURFOM: On July 30, 2025, the military Junta officially announced that its controversial cybersecurity law, originally enacted on January 1, 2025, had now come into full effect. This signals a new and dangerous phase of digital repression in Myanmar, especially for ordinary internet users relying on social media and VPNs for communication and access to uncensored information.

The enforcement date is deeply concerning for civil society and the general public. From today, individuals using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) could face intensified surveillance, arbitrary arrests, and extortion by junta-aligned enforcement units. These fears are not unfounded, as reports have already surfaced of people being stopped at checkpoints and forced to pay bribes for having VPN apps on their phones. Social media users may also be criminalized for sharing posts deemed as “misinformation” or “rumors.”

The law, which ASEAN Parliamentarians sharply criticized for Human Rights, has been described as “draconian legislation [that] is a calculated attempt by the junta to suppress dissent, stifle free expression, and violate the privacy of Myanmar’s citizens.”

“This law gives the junta dangerously broad powers,” said a lawyer working closely with HURFOM and supporting political prisoners in Mon State. “They can shut down internet services at any time by citing so-called ‘state security.’ Ordinary people can be jailed for up to six months just for sharing something the Junta doesn’t like or for using a VPN to access information. The law also forces digital platforms to store personal user data and hand it over to the authorities. What’s worse is that this law even applies to Myanmar citizens living abroad. It’s a direct attack on privacy, freedom of expression, and safety, online and offline.”

Human rights groups warn that the implementation of this law will further restrict already-limited freedoms online and offline. It poses immediate risks for journalists, activists, and anyone critical of the regime, many of whom rely on encrypted apps and VPNs for protection.

At a time when the Junta is also pushing forward its plans to stage a sham election and expand militarized control, this law provides yet another tool of repression. For the people of Myanmar, especially youth and civil society, today’s announcement is not just a legal update, it’s a warning of what’s to come.
“Lately, the Junta in Naypyidaw has been rapidly issuing laws under the pretext of ‘national security’, but their real intention is to tighten control and increase repression,” said a young activist from Thaton District, Mon State, on July 30, 2025. “Some of these laws even include the death penalty for those who disobey. Now that they’ve officially enforced the cybersecurity law, people have to be extremely cautious when using the internet to access information or share news. It’s clear that all of this is part of their broader plan to force through their sham election. These repressive laws need to be challenged, and we urgently need stronger international pressure, including targeted sanctions, to hold them accountable.”

HURFOM strongly condemns the enforcement of this law and calls on the international community to continue standing with the people by supporting secure access to information, protecting digital rights, and opposing this dangerous expansion of junta surveillance and control.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News