In 2025, investigative journalists uncovered that during and following the Myanmar military coup starting in 2021, Telenor had shared data linked to specific phone numbers with the military upon request, including names, addresses, national ID numbers, last known locations, and call logs. Following the sharing of data some people were arbitrarily detained, some tortured in custody, and at least one person executed following a wrongful conviction.
The Myanmar Internet Project and partners are using legal action to establish corporate liability for these human rights abuses linked to Telenor Myanmar.
The case was filed as a civil class action suit in Oslo, Norway, in April 2026 by the Swedish non-profit Justice and Accountability Initiative (JAI) against Telenor. The case seeks damages on behalf of Myanmar customers whose data was shared with the military. The case is filed by the Norwegian law firm Simonsen Vogt Wiig and is also supported by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) and the Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI).
Human rights abuses by Myanmar military using data shared by Telenor
Organisation Name
Justice and Accountability Initiative, under the Myanmar Internet Project & Defend Democracy Myanmar
Country/Jurisdiction
Norway
Grant Amount
EUR 55,000
Current Status
Ongoing
Image credit: Photo by Jonah Pettrich on Unsplash
Grant type
Litigation Track Support
Description
The Myanmar Internet Project state that, in 2025, investigative journalists uncovered that during and following the Myanmar military coup starting in 2021, Telenor had shared data linked to specific phone numbers with the military upon request, including names, addresses, national ID numbers, last known locations, and call logs. Following the sharing of data some people were arbitrarily detained, some tortured in custody, and at least one person executed following a wrongful conviction.
The Myanmar Internet Project and partners are using legal action to establish corporate liability for these human rights abuses linked to Telenor Myanmar.
The case was filed as a civil class action suit in Oslo, Norway, in April 2026 by the Swedish non-profit Justice and Accountability Initiative (JAI) against Telenor. The case seeks damages on behalf of Myanmar customers whose data was shared with the military. The case is filed by the Norwegian law firm Simonsen Vogt Wiig and is supported by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) and the Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI).
According to SOMO, in September 2026 the courts rejected Telenor’s procedural objection and allowed the case to proceed as an opt-out class action.
"Following the sharing of data some people were arbitrarily detained, some tortured in custody, and at least one person executed following a wrongful conviction"
Strategic Goals
- To strengthen the protection of mobile phone data by telecommunications companies which operate in countries with heightened risk of human rights abuses.
- To restore a sense of dignity and justice for victims of serious human rights abuses by giving them the opportunity to be heard in a court of law in Europe.