Norway’s Telenor Accused of Aiding Myanmar Regime in Activist Arrests
A class-action lawsuit filed in Norway accuses Telenor, the state-owned telecommunications giant, of complicity in human rights abuses in Myanmar. The legal action alleges that Telenor provided sensitive customer data, including locations and addresses, to the Myanmar military junta, facilitating the arrest of approximately 1,200 anti-coup activists. Among the plaintiffs is Aung Thu, an activist who claims his data was shared despite internal warnings that it would lead to detention and potential torture. The suit, supported by rights organizations like the Justice and Accountability Initiative, seeks at least €11 million in compensation for the victims. Although Telenor exited Myanmar in 2022, transparency reports indicate it complied with 96% of authority data requests during its operation. The case has triggered a planned parliamentary inquiry into the Norwegian government’s role as majority shareholder. Plaintiffs argue the company breached the trust of users it promised to connect during Myanmar’s democratic transition, directly contributing to the persecution of dissidents following the 2021 military coup.
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Norway’s Telenor Accused of Aiding Myanmar Regime in Activist Arrests
A class-action lawsuit filed in Norway accuses Telenor, the state-owned telecommunications giant, of complicity in human rights abuses in Myanmar. The legal action alleges that Telenor provided sensitive customer data, including locations and addresses, to the Myanmar military junta, facilitating the arrest of approximately 1,200 anti-coup activists. Among the plaintiffs is Aung Thu, an activist who claims his data was shared despite internal warnings that it would lead to detention and potential torture. The suit, supported by rights organizations like the Justice and Accountability Initiative, seeks at least €11 million in compensation for the victims. Although Telenor exited Myanmar in 2022, transparency reports indicate it complied with 96% of authority data requests during its operation. The case has triggered a planned parliamentary inquiry into the Norwegian government’s role as majority shareholder. Plaintiffs argue the company breached the trust of users it promised to connect during Myanmar’s democratic transition, directly contributing to the persecution of dissidents following the 2021 military coup.
The Guardian