258
Burma
and Registration Division carries out. The terms state that users must obtain MPT ’ s
permission before creating Web pages, and users cannot post anything “ detrimental ”
to the government or even simply related to politics.
60 Sharing registered Internet
connections is punishable by revoked access and “ legal action. ”
61 The MPT can also
“ amend and change regulations on the use of the Internet without prior notice. ”
62
According to the 1996 Computer Science Development Law (CSDL), network-ready
computers must be registered with the MPT. Failure to do so may result in fi nes and
a prison sentence of seven to 15 years.
63 Under the 2004 Electronic Transactions Law,
it is unlawful to use electronic transactions technology to receive or send information
relating to state secrets or state security. It is also unlawful under Article 33 to use such
technology to commit acts “ detrimental to the security of the State or prevalence of
law and order or community peace and tranquility or national solidarity or national
economy or national culture. ”
64 Failure to abide by such laws can result in fi nes and
a prison sentence of seven to 15 years.
65
These laws have been invoked by the junta to prosecute Burmese activists and
dissenters who use online tools to communicate or transmit information. In November 2008, closed courts, mostly operating out of Insein prison, applied the Electronic
Transactions Law and the Television and Video Law to deliver sentences to 88 Generation activists, bloggers, and others.
66 That same month, Nay Phone Latt, a prominent Burmese blogger, was sentenced to more than 20 years of imprisonment by a
special court in Insein prison: two years for defamation of the state under Article
505(b) of the Criminal Code and 18 years and six months for the violation of Article
32(b) of the Television and Video Law and Article 33(a) of the Electronics Transactions Law.
67 The Electronic Transactions Law also constituted part of the 59-year
sentence handed to Maung Thura, comedian, fi lm director, and blogger, who was
convicted for circulating his footage of relief work after Cyclone Nargis on DVD and
the Internet, as well for criticizing government aid efforts in interviews with overseas
media.
68
Surveillance
In Burma, the fear of surveillance is pervasive and embedded in daily life.
69 Offl ine,
the state can effectively monitor its citizens through a dragnet that functions
with the assistance of various civilian organizations it directly controls. These organizations include the USDA, which imposes mandatory membership on citizens in
specifi c professions and is being cultivated as a “ future military-controlled civilian
government in Burma, ” with President Gen Than Shwe as its primary patron.
70 State
and local Peace and Development Councils (PDCs) are also effective tools of social
control. All households must provide their local ward PDCs with a list and
Burma
and Registration Division carries out. The terms state that users must obtain MPT ’ s
permission before creating Web pages, and users cannot post anything “ detrimental ”
to the government or even simply related to politics.
60 Sharing registered Internet
connections is punishable by revoked access and “ legal action. ”
61 The MPT can also
“ amend and change regulations on the use of the Internet without prior notice. ”
62
According to the 1996 Computer Science Development Law (CSDL), network-ready
computers must be registered with the MPT. Failure to do so may result in fi nes and
a prison sentence of seven to 15 years.
63 Under the 2004 Electronic Transactions Law,
it is unlawful to use electronic transactions technology to receive or send information
relating to state secrets or state security. It is also unlawful under Article 33 to use such
technology to commit acts “ detrimental to the security of the State or prevalence of
law and order or community peace and tranquility or national solidarity or national
economy or national culture. ”
64 Failure to abide by such laws can result in fi nes and
a prison sentence of seven to 15 years.
65
These laws have been invoked by the junta to prosecute Burmese activists and
dissenters who use online tools to communicate or transmit information. In November 2008, closed courts, mostly operating out of Insein prison, applied the Electronic
Transactions Law and the Television and Video Law to deliver sentences to 88 Generation activists, bloggers, and others.
66 That same month, Nay Phone Latt, a prominent Burmese blogger, was sentenced to more than 20 years of imprisonment by a
special court in Insein prison: two years for defamation of the state under Article
505(b) of the Criminal Code and 18 years and six months for the violation of Article
32(b) of the Television and Video Law and Article 33(a) of the Electronics Transactions Law.
67 The Electronic Transactions Law also constituted part of the 59-year
sentence handed to Maung Thura, comedian, fi lm director, and blogger, who was
convicted for circulating his footage of relief work after Cyclone Nargis on DVD and
the Internet, as well for criticizing government aid efforts in interviews with overseas
media.
68
Surveillance
In Burma, the fear of surveillance is pervasive and embedded in daily life.
69 Offl ine,
the state can effectively monitor its citizens through a dragnet that functions
with the assistance of various civilian organizations it directly controls. These organizations include the USDA, which imposes mandatory membership on citizens in
specifi c professions and is being cultivated as a “ future military-controlled civilian
government in Burma, ” with President Gen Than Shwe as its primary patron.
70 State
and local Peace and Development Councils (PDCs) are also effective tools of social
control. All households must provide their local ward PDCs with a list and