Over 2,000 arrested in Myanmar for online activity since 2022: D4M

By Admin 24 Sep 2026

DMG Newsroom

24 September 2026, Yangon

More than 2,000 people have been arrested across Myanmar over their social media activity and online expression since 2022, including at least 20 in Arakan State, according to a report by Data for Myanmar (D4M).

D4M documented 2,029 arrests from 2022 through August 2026, involving people accused of opposing the military regime or supporting revolutionary groups through social media and other online platforms.

The report recorded 874 arrests in 2022, 614 in 2023, 375 in 2024, 140 in 2025 and 26 through August this year.

Yangon Region recorded the highest number, with 504 arrests, followed by Mandalay Region with 465 and Bago Region with 271. D4M documented 20 cases in Arakan State and five in neighbouring Chin State.

According to the report, Facebook accounted for much of the social media activity linked to arrests, while cases were also associated with TikTok, Telegram, Viber and other online platforms.

D4M said the number of documented arrests has declined considerably from the levels recorded in 2022 and 2023. However, arrests linked to online expression have continued.

The findings come as access to information and communications remains severely restricted in conflict-hit Arakan State. Mobile phone and internet disruptions have affected communities across the state, increasing reliance on alternative internet services and social media for communication and access to news.

The communications constraints have become particularly significant amid renewed fighting. Clashes between the military regime and Arakan Army have intensified along the Sittwe-Ponnagyun front since early September, displacing thousands of civilians, while fighting is also continuing in Kyaukphyu Township.

The United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) currently controls most of Arakan State, while the military retains key footholds including Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung. A recent ISP-Myanmar assessment put ULA/AA territorial control at 92.6 percent of the state.

Against this backdrop, online platforms remain an important channel for people in Arakan to access and share information, even as communications disruptions and restrictions continue to complicate the flow of information. Recent monitoring has also documented continuing digital-rights restrictions in Arakan and elsewhere in Myanmar.