Kalaw, Shan State – A 29-year-old woman traveling from Yangon was arrested at a military checkpoint in Kalaw Township after surveillance software flagged her for alleged links to anti-junta resistance groups, according to sources familiar with the case.

The arrest occurred on July 2 at the Nant Pan Tet checkpoint, located near the Shan–Mandalay border. The woman, identified as Thet Htar Thu Zar from Mingaladon Township, was traveling on an ‘Elite’ Express bus when soldiers used the Person Scrutinization and Monitoring System (PSMS) to scan the IDs of passengers. The software, reportedly used to identify individuals on government watchlists, flagged her profile.

Although she carried a travel recommendation letter signed by her ward administrator, she was detained after the scan allegedly linked her to a criminal record related to financial support for the anti-regime People’s Defense Forces (PDFs).

“She had all the necessary documents,” said a source who spoke to SHAN on condition of anonymity. “But after scanning her ID, the soldiers said her name was in the system and took her away for questioning. She was not allowed to continue her journey.”

The military council later confirmed she was charged under Section 50-N of the Anti-Terrorism Law and initially transferred to Htauk Kyant Police Station in Yangon Region. She remains in custody at the Kalaw Township Police Station as the investigation continues.

Her arrest is part of a growing pattern of digital surveillance and intensified scrutiny at military checkpoints across Shan State and other parts of Myanmar.

In a similar case on May 25, a university student from Namsang Township was detained en route to Taunggyi after her National Registration Card (NRC) was scanned and flagged. She was also charged under Section 50-N and sent to Aye Thar Yar Police Station.

Just days earlier, on May 22, 25-year-old Chit Su from Yangon’s Dagon South (New Town) was arrested at a checkpoint in Kye Thi Township after being flagged by the PSMS system during a routine bus inspection between Keythi and Namsang.

Military-affiliated media have acknowledged the widespread deployment of the PSMS system. The software reportedly cross-references identity numbers with government databases, travel histories, and suspected affiliations with resistance activities, including participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) or donations to armed opposition groups.

Travelers moving through junta-controlled areas, especially in southern Shan State, now take extra precautions. Local residents say it’s become routine to delete politically sensitive apps, photos, and mobile transaction histories before passing through checkpoints. Digital payment services like Wave Money, KPay, and AYA Pay are reportedly under increased scrutiny by the authorities.

Checkpoints in Panglong (Loilem Township) and Mong Nawng (Kye Thi Township) have also adopted similar technologies, some allegedly Russian-developed, further expanding the military’s ability to identify dissidents, CDM participants, and those previously charged under Section 505 of the Penal Code.

The growing use of AI-assisted profiling tools has raised serious concerns among rights groups and civil society organizations, who warn that Myanmar’s military is using digital surveillance not only to monitor movement but also to criminalize dissent and restrict basic freedoms.

“This is part of a broader strategy to instill fear, limit mobility, and suppress opposition voices,” said a digital rights monitor based in exile. “It’s not just about security, it’s about control.”