Myanmar's Military Uses Foreign Tech to Fuel Digital Repression After Coup
Myanmar's military has intensified its digital crackdown since the 2021 coup, turning technology into a tool of repression. A recent sham election, held under severe restrictions, has further erased hopes for democracy. Reports now reveal how foreign suppliers have enabled this surge in surveillance and censorship, fuelling one of the world's most aggressive systems of digital authoritarianism.
Since seizing power in 2021, the military has systematically dismantled digital and civil freedoms. Arbitrary internet shutdowns have left over 130 of Myanmar's 330 townships in prolonged blackouts. Communication towers were seized, while advanced firewalls now filter, monitor, and block online content. A centralised identity system, the Person Scrutinization and Monitoring System (PSMS), tracks citizens for surveillance, arrests, and forced conscription. Checkpoints reportedly use this system to detain individuals flagged for alleged anti-junta activities.
Violence has accompanied the digital crackdown. In the past five years, security forces have killed at least 7,761 people and arrested over 30,426, with hundreds jailed simply for online dissent. Homes have also been targeted, with data confirming the burning of at least 113,054 residences since the coup.
Foreign technology has played a critical role in enabling this repression. Chinese firms—including Huawei, Hikvision, and SenseTime—supplied surveillance and facial recognition systems, often routed through proxies. Russian companies provided monitoring software, while Israel's NSO Group allegedly sold Pegasus spyware via intermediaries. Singapore-based traders exploited legal loopholes, re-exporting dual-use tech through third countries like Thailand and the UAE or mislabelling it as civilian goods. These supply chains helped the military evade sanctions from the US, EU, and other governments.
The military's reliance on foreign-supplied technology has cemented its control, making free elections impossible. With mass surveillance, censorship, and violent repression now entrenched, Myanmar's population faces an increasingly isolated and monitored existence. The scale of arrests, killings, and digital restrictions underscores the regime's determination to crush opposition by any means necessary.
