On September 15, 2026, Norwegian authorities announced an investigation into Telenor for suspected crimes against humanity and sanctions violations in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup. For years, Access Now and civil society have raised the alarm over Telenor’s hasty and irresponsible departure from Myanmar and the potential human rights abuses should Telenor sell its Myanmar enterprise to the military-linked M1 Group.
The decision to file charges against Telenor follows a police complaint filed by Justice for Myanmar and ICJ Norway last year. Earlier this year, the Swedish human rights group Justice and Accountability Initiative (JAI), with the support of various Myanmar civil society organizations and EU-based groups, also filed a class-action lawsuit against Telenor.
As we clearly laid out to Telenor when the company first announced its departure from Myanmar, its manner of withdrawal was an abandonment that left those who relied on its services more vulnerable than ever by putting their data in the hands of the military-linked M1 Group. The investigation into Telenor by the Norwegian authorities is a recognition that companies cannot act with impunity and put people’s data and lives at risk.Isedua Oribhabor, Business and Human Rights Manager at Access Now
In August 2021, Access Now, along with 44 organizations, laid out the potential dangers of this sale to the Telenor board, calling for it to stop the sale and conduct human rights due diligence in line with international standards. Telenor responded on September 3, 2021. Ultimately, Telenor refused to listen to civil society and proceeded with the sale.
For years, civil society warned Telenor about the risks its decisions posed to people in Myanmar who depended on its services. The decision to investigate Telenor for crimes against humanity should be a wake-up call for every technology and telecom company operating in a high-risk environment: leaving a market does not mean leaving your human rights responsibilities behind. Companies hold enormous amounts of sensitive information about the people that use their services, and when that data falls into the hands of an abusive authority, the consequences can be devastating. Human rights due diligence has to shape not only how companies enter and operate in a market, but also how they leave it.Faiz Naeem, Asia Pacific Policy Analyst at Access Now
Businesses have an obligation to protect and respect human rights wherever they operate and whenever they enter or leave a country, especially in conflict zones or during times of crisis. Access Now calls on companies to adhere to their human rights obligations as laid out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.