Military junta announces that returnees who do not register their phones will be fined in addition to taxes

Photo – Passengers queue at a security checkpoint near Yangon International Airport on December 11, 2024. (Sai Aung MAIN / AFP) The military junta announced on Tuesday that international travelers entering by air must submit copies of their passports, boarding passes, and flight tickets within 30 days of arrival and register with the junta-controlled Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR) system. Failure to register will result in fines in addition to taxes, according to the junta-controlled media. The directive was issued by the CEIR and EIR System Project Leading Committee, which launched the registration system in March, and is part of the junta's efforts to expand the process to include those entering through border gates and water ports, the announcement stated. The CEIR system requires the registration of the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of all mobile phones that will be connected to the phone network, not just SIM cards. The Myanmar military junta, which has controlled the country since the February 2021 coup, has been gradually tightening its grip on telecommunications infrastructure amid nationwide armed resistance. While phones connected using Myanmar SIM cards were automatically added to the approved list before March 31, those who missed the deadline were given a 30-day grace period, after which their phone lines were deactivated, and taxes and fines were imposed. In addition to phone registration, there is another stipulation for returning travelers from abroad. In January, the junta's Ministry of Labor and Immigration instructed returning migrant workers to report their arrival to the authorities, a move that experts believe is an attempt to monitor and tax overseas workers as the conscription law is implemented. The CEIR procedures add another layer of paperwork burden for this demographic. In Dawei, unregistered or untaxed phone lines have been cut off by the CEIR system, and users have had to pay up to approximately 10,000 kyats in taxes and service fees to reactivate their services, according to monthly monitoring by the human rights group Athan. Data from Athan indicates that this policy primarily affects those returning with phones purchased abroad, and the new airport procedures also directly target this group. The Myanmar Internet Project, a digital rights research group, has assessed that the registration system significantly enhances the junta's surveillance capabilities. The report warns that by linking a phone's IMEI number to SIM card registration, authorities can track the phone's location, identify the user, and remotely shut down phones or cut off communication based on the collected data. The CEIR and EIR System Leading Committee announced that mobile phone users can check the status of their phone registration and pay taxes by contacting the website ceir.gov.mm or the CEIR Call Center numbers 1577 and 1755. Editor: Naung Naung