In February 2019, a french tourist has been arrested for operating a drone near Myanmar’s parliament in the capital Naypyidaw. Under a law of Myanmar flying over the government building is illegal.

“A French man, on a visit to Myanmar, was arrested late afternoon on Thursday 7 February for having flown a drone over the parliament,” the embassy said, adding that the man was still in detention in Naypyidaw. His family had been informed of his arrest and embassy staff were trying to secure his release.

In 2017, three journalists and their driver were jailed for the same offense. They confessed to flying a drone over the parliament and expected to receive a fine. But instead they were sentenced to two months in prison under Myanmar’s aircraft act.