Law enforcement agencies in Norway are investigating telecommunications giant Telenor for potential complicity in crimes against humanity linked to its operations with Myanmar’s military regime. The investigations by Norway’s Police Security Service and National Criminal Investigation Service focus on Telenor’s actions from the military coup on February 1, 2021, until the sale of its Myanmar subsidiary on March 25, 2022. Reports indicate that Telenor provided historical customer data to the regime during a period marked by extensive human rights abuses.
Following the coup, Telenor faced significant backlash for allegedly handing over local customer data to the military, which has been responsible for widespread arrests and killings. The company later sold its Myanmar business to M1 Group, a firm with established ties to the military, raising concerns among human rights experts about the transfer of sensitive data belonging to over 18 million people.
Investigations and Allegations
The National Criminal Investigation Service is examining whether Telenor’s actions constituted complicity in crimes against humanity, as the company reportedly complied with numerous requests from the military to provide customer information. Additionally, the Police Security Service is investigating potential sanctions violations related to the sale of surveillance equipment as part of the subsidiary’s transfer, which allegedly occurred without the necessary permissions from Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Telenor’s headquarters in Oslo were raided by law enforcement as part of the investigation. A company spokesperson stated that employees faced severe risks, including imprisonment and torture, if they did not comply with military orders. Telenor has claimed that it was caught in a difficult situation, balancing local laws requiring data retention with international legal obligations.
Concerns Over Data Usage
Activists have expressed alarm that the data transferred to the new owners could be used to target civil society activists and journalists. Telenor had previously resisted military requests to install surveillance equipment but admitted to complying with over 200 requests for customer data in the year leading up to the sale. Human rights advocates have warned that the company’s actions could amount to complicity in the military’s ongoing abuses.
Several civil society groups in Myanmar have initiated lawsuits against Telenor, alleging that the company’s data was instrumental in the detention and torture of individuals, with at least one reported execution linked to information obtained through Telenor’s data. Another class action lawsuit was filed by a Swedish nonprofit on behalf of 1,200 individuals claiming their data was shared with the junta.
The investigations into Telenor’s operations in Myanmar highlight the complex ethical and legal challenges faced by multinational corporations operating in regions with oppressive regimes. As the situation develops, the implications for Telenor and its stakeholders remain significant.
For further details, see the full report by The Record.
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