Justice For Myanmar and ICJ Norway have filed a complaint against Telenor in Norway for violating Myanmar-related sanctions regulations. The complaint alleges that Telenor and Telenor Myanmar management violated Norwegian sanctions between 2018 and 2022. These sanctions refer to Norway’s Myanmar regulations, and the complaint was submitted on December 19, 2024. The complaint details how Telenor assisted in installing, maintaining, and constructing surveillance equipment linked to monitoring centers for the government after it fell under military control.
The complaint outlines that Telenor transferred surveillance equipment to M1 Group’s subsidiary as part of its Myanmar business sale in March 2022, following the 2021 military coup. The filing includes detailed documentation of Telenor’s purchase of a Lawful Interception Gateway system from German company Utimaco GmbH in November 2017, facilitated by Huawei. This equipment was delivered to Myanmar in February 2018, shortly after the military’s brutal ‘clearance operations’ against the Rohingya. The complaint also states that Telenor shared sensitive user data with the military council.
The filing emphasizes that even before Telenor entered Myanmar, there was a well-documented history of human rights violations by the military, with neither the military nor police under civilian control, and no legal framework to protect citizens from electronic surveillance. The complaint suggests that proper due diligence would have revealed that telecommunications regulations were not under genuine civilian democratic control and carried risks of military takeover. The case highlights Telenor’s responsibility in providing surveillance capabilities and user data to a regime known for human rights abuses.
The complaint also addresses Telenor’s operations in Myanmar within the context of international law violations and ongoing cases at the ICJ and ICC regarding crimes against humanity and genocide from 2016-2017. Justice For Myanmar and ICJ Norway note that Telenor should have been aware that any telecommunications equipment, operations, and user data could be requisitioned by the military council. The organizations believe there is substantial evidence to suggest that Telenor operated without necessary licenses or exemptions from Norway’s sanctions regime, potentially making them liable for sanctions violations in court.
