Myanmar approves death sentence for cyberscam offences
YANGON - Myanmar’s military-backed parliament yesterday approved a law authorising capital punishment for those who detain or violently coerce victims into wo
International
2026-07-292026-07-29By Correspondent
YANGON – Myanmar’s military-backed parliament yesterday approved a law authorising capital punishment for those who detain or violently coerce victims into working in online scam centres. Internet fraud factories have flourished in war-torn Myanmar, part of Southeast Asia’s thriving scam economy, targeting web users worldwide with romance and cryptocurrency investment cons.
The multibillion-dollar black market attracts many willing employees, but repatriated foreigners have also reported being trafficked to sites in Myanmar and tortured by scam centre operators.
Under pressure from other nations, including the United States and China, the Myanmar government of putschist-turned-president Min Aung Hlaing has pledged to crack down on the illicit industry. But monitors say law enforcement raids and arrests have resulted in scam outfits relocating in the region rather than ceasing operations.
Myanmar lawmakers passed the “Anti-Online Scam Bill” at a joint session of parliament in the capital Naypyidaw on Tuesday, parliament speaker Aung Lin Dwe said during a live television broadcast. Lower house MP Aye Chan told AFP the death sentence was included in the final version of the law.
