Myanmar Has Arrested This TikTok Astrologer For Falsely Predicting An Earthquake

Myanmar has arrested TikTok astrologer, John Moe The, for falsely predicting an earthquake.

John Moe The, who had more than 300,000 followers on TikTok, shared a carousel on April 9 predicting that Myanmar would be hit by a “strong earthquake” on April 21.

In the post, which went viral, he urged people to be careful and not to stay in tall buildings on that day, which caused people to panic.

His post came two weeks after Myanmar was hit by a massive magnitude 7.7 earthquake, which killed more than 3,500 people.

There was no earthquake on April 21, but John Moe The was arrested a day after on April 22.

The Myanmar government said he had made "false statements with the intention of causing public panic", and his account has since been taken down.

Since it took control of Myanmar in a coup in 2021, Myanmar’s military government has cracked down on freedom of expression, arresting, torturing and even killing journalists and ordinary citizens for sharing information that it deems to be “threatening national stability”.

More On Myanmar

Over 2,000 People Have Now Been Killed In The Huge Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake That Struck Myanmar

The earthquake, the strongest in Myanmar in more than 100 years, wreaked havoc across the country, destroying many buildings including hospitals and damaging roads and bridges.

AlmostIsha Jain

After Bombing The Country Despite The Earthquake, Myanmar’s Military Has Finally Declared A Ceasefire

The military government had conducted at least 21 airstrikes in civilian areas held by rebels in the earthquake’s aftermath.

AlmostIsha Jain

Why Is No One Talking About Myanmar’s Military Bombing Its Own Civilians?

Myanmar has launched its largest airstrike campaign since 2021, killing more than 100 people.

AlmostIsha Jain