120 Organizations Jointly urge Myanmar’s junta to lift Internet, communications, and press freedom restrictions

Mizzima

On 31 March, 120 civil society organizations issued a joint statement urging Myanmar’s junta to lift internet service restrictions, communication blackouts, and press freedom limitations imposed in earthquake-affected areas.

The statement is as follows.

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, strongly condemn the Myanmar military for continuing to impose communication blackouts, including internet shutdowns, following Myanmar’s worst earthquake in history. We call for restrictions on internet services, including social media platforms and news media websites, to be immediately lifted. 

​On March 28, 2025, Myanmar experienced a magnitude 7.7 earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in the country’s history, impacting at least 67 townships. The epicentre was in Sagaing city, near Mandalay, the central part of the country. The most affected areas include Sagaing, Mandalay, and the country’s capital, Naypyitaw. The death toll has risen to more than 2,000 as of March 31 and continues to climb.