The military council has installed Person Scrutinization and Monitoring System (PSMS) software at township and regional police stations across the country to monitor civilians’ criminal records and political involvement. The PSMS application, developed using Russian technology, was first implemented in late May this year at military checkpoints, airports, seaports, city entry/exit points, and bus terminals.
The military is using this system to arrest political activists, Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) participants, and those evading military persecution. Currently, the PSMS system has been installed in all township and regional police stations under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The PSMS application has been upgraded to Version 2 and includes a database of approximately 80,000 wanted individuals.
According to a military source in Naypyidaw, the PSMS system is being used not only for guest registration but also when people request criminal clearance certificates at police stations. In recent events in Nyaung-U Township’s Bagan city, police and military personnel have been using the PSMS system to check guests at hotels and guesthouses, leading to the arrest of some CDM staff members who were visiting as pilgrims.
The Nyaung-U police source further explained that police officers are equipped with tablets that can instantly reveal whether someone is involved in CDM activities by entering their national registration number. Among those arrested were nurses and teachers, who are now facing charges at the Nyaung-U Police Station. Hotels in Bagan are required to submit daily guest lists, which police then check using tablets to identify CDM participants. The PSMS application is highly secure and can only be downloaded on military-approved phones and computers, with security measures preventing unauthorized copying. Police sources advise extreme caution as the system is now operational in all police stations.
