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Justice For Myanmar and ICJ Norway welcome the Norwegian police's decision to file charges against Telenor ASA for sanctions violations and complicity in crimes against humanity in Myanmar.
The charges were filed on September 15, and the police raided the Telenor ASA office the same day.
The action followed a police complaint filed by Justice For Myanmar and ICJ Norway on December 19, 2024, alleging violations of Norwegian sanctions from 2018 to 2022 under the Myanmar Regulation (‘Myanmarforskriften’). The complaint, which included extensive documentary evidence, alleged that Telenor maintained sanctioned surveillance equipment and transferred it to a Myanmar military-linked buyer when it exited the country in 2022.
When the complaint was rejected without investigation, Justice for Myanmar and ICJ Norway filed a further complaint on October 10, 2025 to a higher prosecutorial authority. The complaint was at the same time extended to also encompass aiding and abetting crimes against humanity over Telenor’s sharing of sensitive data with the military junta that has been linked to grave human rights violations.
Terje Einarsen, Head of the Board of ICJ Norway, says: “We have for a long time awaited a serious and independent police investigation, and we are happy that this now seems to be the case. The allegations concern different possible crimes that are related to a very serious human rights situation and brutal persecution of democracy activists and human rights defenders in Myanmar. It is simply necessary to clarify the responsibility of Telenor, and depending on the evidence, also possible responsibilities of individuals.”
Justice For Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung says: "We welcome the Norwegian police's decision to finally open investigations into Telenor for its violations of Norwegian and international law in Myanmar. Extensive documentation showing Telenor's transfer of spyware and the sharing of sensitive data with the illegal military junta was shared with the police, which clearly demonstrated the complicity of the company and its senior executives. Telenor must be held fully accountable for the harm it caused, including in aiding and abetting the junta's arbitrary arrests, torture, killings and executions through knowingly providing it with personal data."
For more information
Read the press release by Norwegian police announcing charges against Telenor ASA here
Read the 2025 press release by Justice For Myanmar and ICJ Norway here
