The Official Secrets Act was introduced in 1923 under British rule, and it penalises receiving or spreading a vaguely defined range of classified documents, and approaching or entering a broad range of “prohibited” places. The Act gives the authorities extensive powers to classify any information as “secret.” Those found guilty under this Act can be punished with imprisonment for up to two years or fined, or both. The Official Secrets Act has in recent years been invoked against media undertaking investigative journalism. For example, in 2018, two Reuters journalists were convicted of breaching the Official Secrets Act, and were sentenced to seven years in jail.
More information
“Report on Repressive Laws in Burma” by Info Birmanie
“Dashed Hopes, The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in Myanmar” by Human Rights Watch