Myanmar anti-coup activists threatened but not silenced, as military crackdown continues
- Some 1,000 people, including social media influencers, have been charged by the military under Section 505 of the penal code for opposing the coup
- Observers say the violence and possibility of a civil war may lead to a state collapse as few global actors had the leverage or will to act against the junta
But last month, after he was charged by Myanmar authorities under a law banning public criticism of the coup, Aung Min received a tip-off that something worse could happen to him.
The 28-year-old gathered some clothes, packed his mobile phone and laptop, and made his way to the Myanmar-Thai border. With help from friends and supporters, Aung Min, who asked to use a pseudonym for safety reasons, is now “in a safe place” in Bangkok.
“Two of my friends have been similarly charged and taken away, and we don’t know where they are now,” said Aung Min, adding that he chose to leave Myanmar to continue to using “social media power to push the movement forward”.
Aung Min is among an estimated 1,000 people who have been charged under Section 505 of the penal code, including prominent social media influencers, celebrities, public figures, journalists, and civil servants, including health care workers who are striking to oppose the coup.
Before the power takeover, Aung Min produced travel vlogs in collaboration with Myanmar news media outlets and incubated start-ups initiated by young people.