YANGON, Feb 14 (NNN-MNA) – Myanmar’s State Administration Council, led by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing yesterday issued an order, amending the Protection of Citizens for Personal Freedom and Personal Security Law.
According to the order, Sections 5, 7 and 8 of the law, will be suspended during the state of emergency, declared on Feb 1.
The suspended Section 5 states that, the relevant ministry and responsible authorities shall ensure that, there is no damage to the privacy and security of the citizen, except where this occurs in accordance with existing law, and when acting in accordance with existing law, the authorities shall not enter into a person’s residence or private places for the purpose of search, seizure, or arrest, unless accompanied by two witnesses from local administration organisations.
The suspended Section 7 of the law says that, no one shall be detained for more than 24 hours without permission from a court, unless the detention is in accordance with existing law.
Section 8 limited entering into a citizen’s private residence or room for the purpose of search, seizure, or arrest, surveilling, spying upon or investigating any citizen, which could disturb their privacy and security or affect their dignity, intercepting or disturbing any citizen’s communication with another person or communications equipment in any way, demanding or obtaining personal telephonic and electronic communications data from telecom operators without order, permission or warrant, in accordance with existing law or responsible authority.
It also prohibited opening, searching, seizing or destroying another person’s private correspondence, envelope, package or parcel, unlawfully interfering with a citizen’s personal or family matters, or act in any way to slander or harm their reputation and unlawfully seizing the lawfully owned movable or immoveable property of a citizen, or intentionally destroying either directly or by indirect means.– NNN-MNA
