{"id":58175,"date":"2026-04-09T13:51:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T13:51:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/58175\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T13:51:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T13:51:23","slug":"myanmar-clients-sue-norways-telenor-for-giving-data-to-junta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/58175\/","title":{"rendered":"Myanmar clients sue Norway’s Telenor for giving data to junta"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/p>\n

The logo of Norwegian telecoms operator Telenor. (AFP\/File photo)<\/p>\n

Myanmar\u00a0customers\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Norwegian\u00a0telecoms\u00a0group\u00a0Telenor\u00a0have\u00a0sued\u00a0the\u00a0company\u00a0for\u00a0sharing\u00a0their\u00a0sensitive\u00a0personal\u00a0data\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0junta,\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0civil\u00a0class\u00a0action\u00a0lawsuit\u00a0filed\u00a0in\u00a0Norway\u00a0Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0plaintiffs\u00a0are\u00a0seeking\u00a0damages,\u00a0arguing\u00a0the\u00a0military\u00a0used\u00a0the\u00a0information\u00a0to\u00a0identify,\u00a0arrest\u00a0and\u00a0prosecute\u00a0pro-democracy\u00a0activists\u00a0suspected\u00a0of\u00a0opposing\u00a0the\u00a02021\u00a0coup\u00a0in\u00a0Myanmar,\u00a0which\u00a0constituted\u00a0“serious\u00a0human\u00a0rights\u00a0violations”,\u00a0they\u00a0said\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0statement.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0information\u00a0included\u00a0names,\u00a0physical\u00a0addresses,\u00a0Facebook\u00a0and\u00a0bank\u00a0accounts,\u00a0location\u00a0data\u00a0and\u00a0call\u00a0logs,\u00a0they\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

They\u00a0allege\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0data\u00a0sharing\u00a0led\u00a0to,\u00a0among\u00a0other\u00a0things,\u00a0the\u00a02022\u00a0execution\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0prominent\u00a0government\u00a0opponent\u00a0and\u00a0lawmaker,\u00a0Zewa\u00a0Thaw,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0arrest\u00a0and\u00a0jailing\u00a0of\u00a0civil\u00a0society\u00a0activist\u00a0Aung\u00a0Thu,\u00a0the\u00a0statement\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

Telenor,\u00a0in\u00a0which\u00a0the\u00a0Norwegian\u00a0state\u00a0owns\u00a0a\u00a054\u00a0percent\u00a0stake,\u00a0denied\u00a0responsibility.<\/p>\n

“In\u00a0Myanmar,\u00a0refusing\u00a0requests\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0military\u00a0authorities\u00a0could,\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0worst\u00a0case,\u00a0have\u00a0led\u00a0to\u00a0imprisonment,\u00a0torture\u00a0or\u00a0the\u00a0death\u00a0penalty,”\u00a0it\u00a0said\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0statement\u00a0to\u00a0AFP.<\/p>\n

“Telenor\u00a0Myanmar\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0real\u00a0options.\u00a0We\u00a0could\u00a0not\u00a0play\u00a0Russian\u00a0roulette\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0lives\u00a0of\u00a0our\u00a0employees.”<\/p>\n

Acknowledging\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0“terrible”\u00a0if\u00a0Telenor\u00a0data\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0“misused\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0authorities,”\u00a0it\u00a0said\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0“solely\u00a0the\u00a0military\u00a0authorities\u00a0in\u00a0Myanmar\u00a0who\u00a0are\u00a0responsible\u00a0for\u00a0how\u00a0they\u00a0treat\u00a0their\u00a0own\u00a0population”.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0plaintiffs\u00a0said\u00a0Justice\u00a0and\u00a0Accountability\u00a0Initiative\u00a0(JAI),\u00a0a\u00a0Swedish\u00a0non-profit,\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0Norwegian\u00a0law\u00a0firm\u00a0had\u00a0filed\u00a0the\u00a0lawsuit\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Asker\u00a0og\u00a0Baerum\u00a0district\u00a0court\u00a0on\u00a0their\u00a0behalf.<\/p>\n

If\u00a0successful,\u00a0the\u00a0case\u00a0would\u00a0be\u00a0“the\u00a0first\u00a0ever\u00a0to\u00a0hold\u00a0a\u00a0telecoms\u00a0company\u00a0to\u00a0account\u00a0for\u00a0not\u00a0sufficiently\u00a0protecting\u00a0user\u00a0data\u00a0from\u00a0access\u00a0by\u00a0an\u00a0authoritarian\u00a0regime”,\u00a0according\u00a0to\u00a0Beini\u00a0Ye,\u00a0a\u00a0lawyer\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0Open\u00a0Society\u00a0Justice\u00a0Initiative,\u00a0which\u00a0is\u00a0supporting\u00a0the\u00a0suit.<\/p>\n

Telenor\u00a0Myanmar\u00a0began\u00a0operations\u00a0in\u00a02014\u00a0and\u00a0had\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a018\u00a0million\u00a0customers\u00a0by\u00a02021.<\/p>\n

After\u00a0a\u00a0February\u00a02021\u00a0coup,\u00a0the\u00a0junta\u00a0launched\u00a0a\u00a0crackdown\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0civilian\u00a0resistance\u00a0movement.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0July\u00a02021,\u00a0Telenor\u00a0announced\u00a0plans\u00a0to\u00a0sell\u00a0its\u00a0Myanmar\u00a0subsidiary\u00a0“despite\u00a0warnings\u00a0by\u00a0civil\u00a0society\u00a0organisations”,\u00a0the\u00a0plaintiffs\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0company\u00a0later\u00a0cited\u00a0junta\u00a0demands\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0install\u00a0monitoring\u00a0equipment\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0network\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0reason\u00a0for\u00a0leaving\u00a0the\u00a0country.<\/p>\n

According\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0plaintiffs,\u00a0the\u00a0transaction\u00a0meant\u00a0all\u00a0customer\u00a0data\u00a0and\u00a0surveillance\u00a0technology\u00a0that\u00a0Telenor\u00a0had\u00a0installed\u00a0were\u00a0turned\u00a0over\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0military-linked\u00a0company.<\/p>\n

They\u00a0said\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0aware\u00a0of\u00a0“at\u00a0least\u00a01,253\u00a0phone\u00a0numbers\u00a0belonging\u00a0to\u00a0users\u00a0whose\u00a0data\u00a0was\u00a0shared”.<\/p>\n

Telenor\u00a0exited\u00a0Myanmar\u00a0in\u00a0March\u00a02022.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The logo of Norwegian telecoms operator Telenor. (AFP\/File photo) Myanmar\u00a0customers\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Norwegian\u00a0telecoms\u00a0group\u00a0Telenor\u00a0have\u00a0sued\u00a0the\u00a0company\u00a0for\u00a0sharing\u00a0their\u00a0sensitive\u00a0personal\u00a0data\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0junta,\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0civil\u00a0class\u00a0action\u00a0lawsuit\u00a0filed\u00a0in\u00a0Norway\u00a0Wednesday. The\u00a0plaintiffs\u00a0are\u00a0seeking\u00a0damages,\u00a0arguing\u00a0the\u00a0military\u00a0used\u00a0the\u00a0information\u00a0to\u00a0identify,\u00a0arrest\u00a0and\u00a0prosecute\u00a0pro-democracy\u00a0activists\u00a0suspected\u00a0of\u00a0opposing\u00a0the\u00a02021\u00a0coup\u00a0in\u00a0Myanmar,\u00a0which\u00a0constituted\u00a0“serious\u00a0human\u00a0rights\u00a0violations”,\u00a0they\u00a0said\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0statement. The\u00a0information\u00a0included\u00a0names,\u00a0physical\u00a0addresses,\u00a0Facebook\u00a0and\u00a0bank\u00a0accounts,\u00a0location\u00a0data\u00a0and\u00a0call\u00a0logs,\u00a0they\u00a0said. They\u00a0allege\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0data\u00a0sharing\u00a0led\u00a0to,\u00a0among\u00a0other\u00a0things,\u00a0the\u00a02022\u00a0execution\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0prominent\u00a0government\u00a0opponent\u00a0and\u00a0lawmaker,\u00a0Zewa\u00a0Thaw,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0arrest\u00a0and\u00a0jailing\u00a0of\u00a0civil\u00a0society\u00a0activist\u00a0Aung\u00a0Thu,\u00a0the\u00a0statement\u00a0said. Telenor,\u00a0in\u00a0which\u00a0the\u00a0Norwegian\u00a0state\u00a0owns\u00a0a\u00a054\u00a0percent\u00a0stake,\u00a0denied\u00a0responsibility. “In\u00a0Myanmar,\u00a0refusing\u00a0requests\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0military\u00a0authorities\u00a0could,\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0worst\u00a0case,\u00a0have\u00a0led\u00a0to\u00a0imprisonment,\u00a0torture\u00a0or\u00a0the\u00a0death\u00a0penalty,”\u00a0it\u00a0said\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0statement\u00a0to\u00a0AFP. “Telenor\u00a0Myanmar\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0real\u00a0options.\u00a0We\u00a0could\u00a0not\u00a0play\u00a0Russian\u00a0roulette\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0lives\u00a0of\u00a0our\u00a0employees.” Acknowledging\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0“terrible”\u00a0if\u00a0Telenor\u00a0data\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0“misused\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0authorities,”\u00a0it\u00a0said\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0“solely\u00a0the\u00a0military\u00a0authorities\u00a0in\u00a0Myanmar\u00a0who\u00a0are\u00a0responsible\u00a0for\u00a0how\u00a0they\u00a0treat\u00a0their\u00a0own\u00a0population”. The\u00a0plaintiffs\u00a0said\u00a0Justice\u00a0and\u00a0Accountability\u00a0Initiative\u00a0(JAI),\u00a0a\u00a0Swedish\u00a0non-profit,\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0Norwegian\u00a0law\u00a0firm\u00a0had\u00a0filed\u00a0the\u00a0lawsuit\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Asker\u00a0og\u00a0Baerum\u00a0district\u00a0court\u00a0on\u00a0their\u00a0behalf.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":58176,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[32080,3846,157,156,10618],"class_list":{"0":"post-58175","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-oslo","8":"tag-junta","9":"tag-lawsuit","10":"tag-norway","11":"tag-oslo","12":"tag-telenor"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@dk\/116375079279374042","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58175"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58175\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}