Myanmar's government has proposed a new law imposing the death penalty on those involved in online scam centers or call center gangs amid international pressure, as Myanmar has become the largest cybercrime hub in ASEAN.
The military-backed Myanmar legislature released the Anti-Online Scam Bill last Thursday, stating that those who use violence, torture, unlawful detention, or cruel treatment to force others to commit online crimes may face the death penalty.
The bill also proposes life imprisonment for operators of online scam centers as well as those involved in cryptocurrency investment scams.
Throughout the civil war that erupted after the 2021 coup, many parts of Myanmar have become unstable, turning into hubs for transnational crime, particularly call center gangs and online fraud networks based in border areas and armed influence zones.
Reports from various countries indicate that many foreigners have been deceived or trafficked to work in scam centers in Myanmar, where they are forced to work, tortured, and physically abused if they fail to meet scam targets.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) stated that victims in the U.S. alone lost more than 20 billion U.S. dollars to such online scams last year.
The call center gang problem has also sparked tensions between Myanmar and China, as many Chinese nationals are involved as scam center founders, accomplices, and victims.
Analysts note that during the five-year civil war, China has sought to protect its security and economic interests by supporting both Myanmar’s military and certain armed groups depending on the situation.
However, recently China has increasingly supported Myanmar’s military government, including backing elections under military rule that exclude key opposition parties like Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, who remains detained following the coup.
This anti-online scam bill is the first legislation proposed under Senior General Min Aung Hlaing’s new government, who was sworn in as civilian president just last month.
Democracy observers view this government transition as merely an attempt to rebrand the military government’s image to end its international isolation.
Earlier, Myanmar’s government moved Aung San Suu Kyi from prison to house arrest two weeks ago, which critics also see as a superficial effort to improve the government’s image.
The new bill also proposes establishing a joint committee with foreign countries to coordinate efforts to combat the online scam industry, seen as a sign that Myanmar’s government wants to reopen cooperation channels with the international community.
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