Myanmar regime escalates censorship campaign with online LGBTQ+ book ban

The Myanmar regime’s Ministry of Information announced legal action against nine social media accounts accused of operating without publishing licenses and distributing queer literature that allegedly “misleads young people’s thinking and emotional understanding.” The move has drawn sharp criticism from Myanmar’s LGBTQ+ community, who warn that the regime is using arbitrary morality clauses to further suppress freedom of expression. Legal framework and statutory penalties Regime authorities are leveraging amended press regulations alongside colonial-era laws to penalize independent writers, publishers, and online distributors: Although pre-publication censorship was formally abolished during the 2012 democratic transition under the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) administration, post-2021 coup amendments stripped key safeguards protecting independent media and publishing houses. Broader media and publishing suppression The targeted campaign against online queer literature reflects a broader post-coup assault on publishing and journalism across Myanmar: Post-Coup Regime Censorship Metrics ├── 2025 LGBTQ+ Book Bans: At least 18 queer-themed books banned; authors criminally charged ├── Revoked Book Publishers: 15 publishing houses stripped of licenses ├── Revoked Printing & Periodical Licenses: 10 printing services & 1 magazine banned └── Revoked Independent Media Licenses: 28 news outlets banned (including DVB) “Young people cannot simply be misled or negatively influenced just by reading these kinds of books,” a member of Myanmar’s LGBTQ+ community told DVB, pointing out that the regime’s campaign aims to erase queer visibility while deepening controls over online information spaces. The post Myanmar regime escalates censorship campaign with online LGBTQ+ book ban appeared first on DVB.