Civilians in Myanmar are facing extreme pressures as the country prepares for elections under the military junta. James Rodehaver, head of OHCHR’s Myanmar team, highlighted that citizens are caught between coercive efforts by the military to secure votes and aggressive campaigns by armed opposition groups to block participation. The junta claims to have issued roughly 4,000 pardons for sedition or incitement convictions, but only about 550 detainees have actually been released, with many others rearrested. Meanwhile, over 100 people have been arrested under new “election protection rules,” and three young individuals received 49-year prison sentences for posting images of a ballot box marked with a bullet.
The introduction of an electronic-only voting system, combined with artificial intelligence and biometric tracking, has raised serious concerns about undermining public trust. Humanitarian access is worsening, forcing civilians to return to unsafe villages to vote while aid to conflict-affected areas remains blocked. Around 23,000 people remain detained who “should not have been arrested in the first place,” according to OHCHR, highlighting the continued climate of repression. Despite military claims that the election signals a resolution to the crisis, UN officials warn that the vote risks further exclusion and instability.
Independent assessments provide an even harsher critique of the junta’s election plans. Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, reporting to the UN General Assembly, described the upcoming elections as a “charade,” asserting that recent institutional changes are cosmetic maneuvers to consolidate military control while projecting a false sense of legitimacy. Key opposition leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, remain imprisoned, and at least 40 political parties, including the National League for Democracy, have been dissolved.
New electoral laws criminalize dissent, restrict digital expression, and impose harsh penalties for perceived interference, while vast regions of the country remain beyond military control, making a genuinely nationwide vote impossible. Andrews warned that elections conducted on the junta’s terms will deepen division, fuel violence, and are likely to be rejected by the people of Myanmar. He noted that the junta’s real objective is to secure recognition from foreign governments rather than represent domestic democratic will.
