State of Emergency in Myanmar – Two Weeks On

A one year state of emergency commencing from 1 February 2021 ("Emergency") pursuant to Article 417 of the Myanmar Constitution 2008 has been declared in Myanmar, and the legislative, executive and judicial powers of the country have been transferred to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

In this article, we provide updates to some of the frequently asked questions regarding the situation on the ground in Myanmar at the time of writing, which has seen significant developments since our initial article of 3 February 2021 on the Emergency. This includes questions on protests, sanctions, border/movement controls, essential utilities and services, and the effect of the Emergency on business contracts.

State of Emergency in Myanmar – Answering Your Pressing Questions

The military-nominated First Vice President U Myint Swe, who is currently serving as the acting President, has declared a state of emergency for one year commencing from 1 February 2021 ("Declaration"), pursuant to Article 417 of the Myanmar Constitution 2008. The Declaration was issued after the military detained government leaders including the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other senior government officials from the National League for Democracy on early morning of 1 February 2021.

In this Update, we answer some of the frequently asked questions regarding the state of emergency in Myanmar, including the current leadership situation, movement/border controls, essential utilities and the state of protests.