February 2021

1 February

POL The military staged a coup (Notification 1/2021) in Naypyitaw and declared a state of emergency for a year, handed over all executive, legislative and judicial powers to MAH, and detained ASSK, President Win Myint, other NLD party leaders, and CSO activists.

POL The military justified the coup by alleging widespread voter fraud in the November elections. Article 417 of the 2008 Constitution cited by the military as allowing a take over in times of emergency. However, only the president has the executive power to declare a state of emergency.

EXM The Internet has been partially blocked, and news channel broadcasting cut. All banks were forced to halt their operations as Internet access was blocked.

POL Myanmar’s military imposed an 8 PM to 6 AM curfew across the country.

POL The NLD published a statement on behalf of ASSK written before she was detained, urging people to protest against the coup

 

2 February

POL The military put 400 elected MPs under house arrest.

CDM Health workers and civil society started the CDM movement.

POL MAH established the SAC with 13 members (Notification 9/2021).

INT Suzuki Motor Corporation ceased operations in Myanmar.

INT China “took note of the situation” and was seeking further information.

CDM People started banging pots and pans at 8 PM every evening (a traditional way to drive out evil spirits).

INT The UNSC held an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in Myanmar.

 

3 February

POL 5 additional civilian members were added to the SAC (Notification No. 14/2021).

EXM Norwegian-owned Telenor complied with the junta’s demands to block Facebook.

 

4 February

POL 70 newly-elected MPs from the NLD held their own swearing-in ceremony.

EXM Military-controlled Myanma Posts and Telecommunications blocked access to Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter for 3 days.

 

5 February

POL NLD lawmakers held an emergency parliamentary session and formed the CRPH to serve as a legitimate Parliament. The CRPH has 20 members, 17 from the NLD.

 

6 February

CDM Tens of thousands of civilians took to the streets to join peaceful protests.

VIO Australian advisor to ASSK, Sean Turnell, detained.

 

7 February

VIO Police shot non-violent protesters in Myawaddy.

EXM Internet access was restored, but social media platforms remained blocked.

VIO Soldiers illegally entered and searched Daw Khin Kyi Foundation.

 

8 February

POL First TV address by MAH.

POL The CRPH publicly announced its formation, condemned the coup, recognized the CDM’s existence and goal of a federal union.

 

9 February

VIO Police shot Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing (19) in Naypyidaw, she is the first victim of the coup. She died of her injuries on 19 February.

POL 300 MPs-elect join the CRPH to challenge the junta.

EXM The military drafted the Cyber Security Law, which violates digital privacy and freedom of speech.

POL The military began a secretive trial for ASSK and Win Myint without their lawyers present.

VIO The police raided the NLD's headquarters in Yangon.

 

10 February

EXM NLD politicians and 70 UEC officials were taken into custody.

EXM News of China's involvement in building the firewall circulating among social media users, which prompted demonstrations outside the Chinese Embassy.

CDM Civil servants and police officers at Kayah State protested against the coup.

VIO The military reinstated an old law (abolished in 2016 by the NLD) requiring people to report overnight visitors to their homes. The amendment to the Ward or Village Tract Administration Law announced on a military-run Facebook page.

 

11 February

INT  The US announced sanctions on the junta leaders and several companies.

 

12 February

POL The junta released 23 314 prisoners as part of an amnesty to celebrate the 71st Union Day.

 

13 February

POL SAC made changes to privacy laws which now allow authorities to enter private residences without warrants and detain people without permission from a court.

VIO The military threatened civil servants who refused to return to work.

VIO The junta issued arrest warrants for 7 people, including a singer, writer, think tank director, social media influencers, and former 88 generation student leaders Min Ko Naing and Jimmy, charging them under the Penal Code for “using their popularity to destabilize the country”.

 

14 February

VIO Armored vehicles rolled into several cities as the Internet shut down.

CDM The CDM spread, disrupting air and train travel.

VIO Police opened fire to disperse protesters at a power plant.

INT Ambassadors to Myanmar from various countries issued a joint statement demanding that the military refrain from violence against demonstrators.

 

15 February

POL The court in Naypyitaw postponed a hearing of ASSK’s case for another 2 days.

EXM The Internet shut down nationwide from 1 AM to 9 AM every day.

EXM The military amended the Electronic Transactions Law, making the spread of “fake news or disinformation” online a crime.

 

16 February

POL The new charge against ASSK under the Natural Disaster Management Law for having broken COVID-19 restrictions. The court hearing of ASSK and Win Myint, which was initially postponed to 17 February, started via video without the knowledge of ASSK’s lawyer.

POL The military promised there would be elections and power would be handed over to the winning party, but no election date was set.

CDM Protesters took again to the streets despite a heavy military and police presence.

 

17 February

CDM Mass demonstrations with more than 100 000 people in the streets of Myanmar.

VIO 17 MPs who formed the CRPH were issued arrest warrants.

EXM 11 Myanmar Press Council members and 10 journalists from Myanmar Times resigned as the junta restricts media freedom.

VIO In Mandalay, railway staff blocked the train tracks in support of the CDM, security forces used rubber bullets and tear gas against them.

EXM The military accused 6 famous artists of using their popularity to call for civil servants to join the CDM and anti-coup protests.

 

18 February

EXM NLD ousted Chief Minister of Mandalay Zaw Myint Maung was charged with incitement and he was denied access to lawyers.

INT  Britain and Canada imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s generals.

INT Japan, the US, India, Australia called for the return of democracy in Myanmar.

CDM Drivers in Yangon staged a “broken down cars” campaign for a second day, blocking major roads to prevent people from going to work.

 

19 February

INT The Quad Alliance called for the return of democracy in Myanmar.

 

20 February

POL NCA signatories announced that they will no longer negotiate with the junta.

INT Norway froze state-to-state knowledge development programs in Myanmar.

INT Singapore said the use of lethal force against unarmed protesters is inexcusable.

INT The UK said it will consider further action against those involved in violence.

INT The EU's Foreign Policy Chief condemned the deadly violence.

INT US State Department spokesperson said the US is “deeply concerned”.

 

21 February

EXM Facebook deleted the main page of the military.

EXM The military blocked embassy roads in Yangon before the planned “2222” protest and shut down Internet access from 1 AM to 12 PM.

INT UN Secretary-General condemned the use of deadly force.

 

22 February

CDM Millions of people joined the nationwide “22222” protest.

POL The CRPH appointed Dr. Sasa as its special ambassador to the UN.

POL The CRPH opened an international relations office in Maryland, US.

EXM Facebook took down pages of state-run TV channels MRTV and MRTV Live.

INT The Council of the EU published an 8-point conclusion about Myanmar.

INT Australian Defence Force requested in a phone call the release of Sean Turnell.

INT  The US imposed sanctions on 2 members of the SAC.

 

23 February

POL The military dissolved the State Counsellor’s Office held by ASSK.

EXM MAH threatened to revoke publishing licenses of media for referring to the military as “regime” or “junta”.

INT G7 and the High Representative of the EU condemned the violence.

 

24 February

POL The junta-appointed Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin held talks with Thailand and Indonesia in Bangkok.

EXM Union Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Win Myat Aye was charged under the Penal Code for encouraging civil servants to take part in the CDM.

INT Malaysia deported 1 086 people back to Myanmar, defying a court order and appeals from human rights groups

INT World Bank halts payment requests on Myanmar projects made after 1 February.

 

25 February

CDM “Thanaka campaign”, painting protest messages on the skin using thanaka.

POL The first large pro-military rally since the army seized power in Yangon.

EXM Facebook and Instagram banned the military and military-controlled media.

INT  The UK announced further sanctions.

 

26 February

POL The junta-appointed UEC conducted a meeting joined by 53 political parties, while most major parties boycotted the meeting.

VIO The military intensifies the use of force in a bloodshed crackdown.

EXM Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi was detained (first detention of foreign reporter), later released.

INT Myanmar’s ambassador to the UN Kyaw Moe Tun urged the UNGA to take action.

POL The military-appointed 7 additional members to the UEC.

INT European Nordic countries condemned the use of deadly force against protesters.

 

27 February

VIO Hundreds of people were arrested (state-run MRTV reported 479) and dozens were injured.

EXM 10 local journalists were detained while covering the protests.

POL Myanmar's UN ambassador was fired by the military a day after he urged the UN to use "any means necessary".

 

28 February

VIO The deadliest crackdown thus far, killing 18 protesters in a single day.

CDM “Milk Tea Alliance” street rallies and social media campaigns across Asia.

POL The Foreign Ministry ordered a large number of transfers of ambassadors.