TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Myanmar's parliament passed a draft anti-online scam bill on Tuesday, July 28, which stipulates prison terms ranging from 10 years to life and the death penalty for those who force others to work as operators in online scams.
Myanmar's parliament on Wednesday passed an anti-online scam bill during a joint session of both houses after lawmakers approved several amendments by voice vote, Parliament Speaker Uni U Aung Lin Dwe said in remarks carried by state-owned MRTV, as quoted by ANTARA.
The changes do not impact several key provisions of the anti-online scam law, such as penalties for operators of telephone scam centers and life imprisonment or the death penalty for those who force victims to work in the online scam sector.
Myanmar authorities are continuing their crackdown on online scam and fraudulent call centers that have mushroomed in the region bordering Thailand in recent years.
Myanmar has participated in several international programs aimed at eradicating online scams. The country has also independently dismantled scam centers and arrested organizers and employees involved in them.
Following a large-scale joint operation conducted by law enforcement agencies from China, Thailand, and Myanmar in February-March 2024, Myanmar authorities have also arrested and deported thousands of individuals involved in the fraudulent operation.
The deportees also included those who were forced to work there.
In an operation to combat online scams, Myanmar law enforcement authorities rescued nine Russian citizens who were being held illegally by a phone fraud ring. They were then handed over to Russian diplomats for repatriation.
Read: UN Says Online Scam Center Trafficking is Skyrocketing
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