On Thursday, 38-year-old Burmese hip-hop artist Byu Har was sentenced to 20 years in prison for purportedly critiquing the present military-administered state.  A family member of Har shared the verdict details with the Associated Press (AP). This judgment stemmed from his arrest on May 24, following a live-stream on Facebook where he referred to the current government as “incompetent” and criticized the Electricity Minister’s inability to ensure sufficient power supply in Yangon.

In the context of a now-deleted livestream on his Facebook page, the rapper allegedly utilized inflammatory language to address the junta’s leaders. Furthermore, within the video’s caption, he disclosed his residential address, which authorities perceived as an indirect indication for them to respond and take necessary action should any concerns arise from the content he posted.

From March to early June, Yangon encountered a substantial increase in the daily power outage duration, which was augmented to eight hours as an energy-saving measure. Subsequently, the outages have now been reverted to their original duration of four hours per day. However, the electricity disruptions have intensified the economic challenges initially set in motion by the military’s seizure of power.

Following the military’s assumption of control in February 2021, the junta has detained numerous individuals as a part of its sweeping campaign to suppress opposition, as highlighted by a local surveillance entity. Har’s recent verdict stands as the latest instance of this campaign.