Myanmar Passes Death Penalty for Masterminds of Online Scam Centres
NAYPYIDAW: Myanmar’s parliament has passed a new law providing for the death penalty against individuals who kidnap, detain or use force to coerce victims into working at online scam centres.
It is the military-backed country’s toughest measure yet to combat increasingly widespread cybercrime.
The Anti-Online Fraud Bill was passed after receiving support from members of the Lower House and Upper House in a joint session in the capital Naypyidaw on 28 July.
Union Parliament Speaker Aung Lin Dwe announced the passage of the law via live television broadcast.
Lower House MP Aye Chan confirmed that the death penalty proposed in the draft bill was retained in the final version passed.
“No significant changes were made after discussions between the Lower House and the Upper House.
“The key parts of the Bill remain as recommended,” he told news agency AFP.
The new law provides for prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment, as well as the death penalty, against individuals who commit violence, torture, unlawful detention or cruel treatment of victims to force them to engage in online fraud activities.
If such acts result in the victim’s death, the court is required to impose the death penalty.
In addition, individuals who operate online scam centres or are involved in digital currency fraud, including cryptocurrencies, can be sentenced to life imprisonment.
The law also empowers courts to confiscate assets derived from criminal activities; return seized money to victims; and destroy equipment used in cybercrime operations.
Myanmar in recent years has become one of the main hubs for online scam syndicates in Southeast Asia, with cross-border criminal groups exploiting the protracted civil war to build heavily guarded scam compounds in several parts of the country.
These syndicates target victims worldwide through cryptocurrency investment fraud, fake investment schemes and romance scams.
Although the multibillion-dollar illicit industry attracts workers who join voluntarily due to lucrative salaries, many rescued foreigners have revealed that they were actually trafficked into Myanmar before being forced to work at these scam centres.
Victims also claimed to have been tortured, beaten and locked up if they failed to meet the fraud targets set by syndicate operators.
Under the new law, Myanmar will establish a Central Anti-Online Fraud Committee, regional-level committees and an Anti-Fraud Centre.
These bodies will coordinate prevention efforts, investigations, information sharing, freezing of financial transactions and cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies.
The law also creates an information-sharing system involving banks, financial institutions, telecommunications companies and government agencies to accelerate the detection of cybercrime activities.
Authorities are also empowered to detain foreigners who are unlawfully present in Myanmar if suspected of being involved in online fraud operations, as well as to seize money, assets and profits obtained from such activities.
Lesser offences can be punished with imprisonment of at least one year and a fine, while serious offences carry sentences of up to life imprisonment or the death penalty.
AGENSI