Photo:AFP
Mizzima
Myanmar military soldiers are extorting money from individuals who have installed Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications on their mobile phones in some major cities including Yangon.
Following the 2021 military coup, social network users in Myanmar have turned to VPNs to access social media platforms.
On 13 June, sources in Yangon reported to Mizzima that junta soldiers checked the phones of pedestrians near the major market in Khayan Township in Yangon Region. If they discovered a VPN app, they extorted money.
“Phones were being checked near the market. They demanded a 300,000 kyat fine if a VPN was found. I saw one person in distress as they didn’t know how much to give,” said a witness familiar with the situation.
Similar incidents occurred at the Thanlyin Bridge checkpoint in Thanlyin Township, Yangon, where travellers’ phones were inspected, and those with VPNs were forced to pay fines.
Social media posts from locals in Taunggyi town of southern Shan State described similar extortion tactics during the junta personnel conducted phone inspections in crowded areas.
“In the past, using VPNs just caused poor internet connections, but now I have to delete them when I go out,” said a woman from Shan State.
These extortions have also been reported in some townships in Mandalay, Ayeyawady and Bago regions, where fines are imposed following VPN inspections by the military junta.
Such inspection practices vary by city. In some townships, they conduct national registration card inspections, motorcycle helmet checks, and driver’s license verifications before examining phones for VPN apps.
Sources indicate that in certain townships, junta officers are specifically targeting phones to check for VPN apps and extort money directly.
Since the coup, the military regime has restricted social network usage, leading people to rely on VPNs as a necessary tool of media communication.
However, since 30 May, the military junta has intensified efforts to ban VPN use. Concurrently, they are developing a government-controlled application called Myspace Myanmar to replace current popular social media platforms.
U Nay Phone Latt, the spokesperson of the National Unity Government (NUG), told Mizzima that the Myanmar junta’s crackdown on VPNs and social network usage is an attempt to suppress the public’s access to truthful information.
