A Swedish non-profit organization has filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of more than 1,200 people against Telenor in Norway. The plaintiffs claim the telecom company shared their information with Myanmar's military rulers.
According to the complaint, phone data was transferred to the military junta after the 2021 coup. Consequently, those involved supposedly became traceable by the authorities.
Endangered
The plaintiffs argue this directly put them at risk. The military authorities allegedly used this information to track down alleged opponents.
Promotion
The lawsuit states that sharing this data contributed to arrests, detentions, and even executions. This would mean the telecom company became indirectly involved in severe repression.
Prosecution
Specific examples are cited in the case. For instance, an activist claims his data was used during his arrest and prosecution. A politician who was later executed is also mentioned, with his data having been shared previously.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages of around 9,000 euros per person. They believe the Norwegian company is responsible for failing to adequately protect their information.
No Other Choice
Telenor has since withdrawn from Myanmar. The company ended its operations there in 2022 after selling its local subsidiary.
Telenor denies the allegations. According to the company, it was legally required to provide data to the authorities. It also states that refusal would have posed significant risks to local employees.
Telenor says it had no other choice and that the responsibility for the use of the data lies with the Myanmar authorities.