The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has warned that Myanmar’s upcoming military-controlled elections are being conducted amid heightened violence, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests, leaving no room for free or meaningful participation. He highlighted that the current environment suppresses fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
The first phase of voting, scheduled for 28 December, is organised by the military authorities who seized power in the 2021 coup, dissolved major political parties, and imprisoned thousands of opponents. Key figures, including former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, remain in detention. Since the coup, the country has faced widespread armed conflict, mass displacement, economic collapse, and the humanitarian impacts of devastating earthquakes in March 2025.
Reports indicate that dissent has been criminalised under a new “election protection law,” with harsh sentences issued for those expressing opposition. In Yangon’s Hlaingthaya Township, three young people received 42 to 49-year prison terms for hanging anti-election posters. Prominent cultural figures have also been targeted, including a film director, actor, and comedian, each sentenced to seven years for criticising pro-election propaganda.
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) face intensified pressure, with reports of threats to confiscate homes or continue airstrikes if they do not return to vote. Türk described such forced returns as a human rights violation. Meanwhile, armed groups opposing the military have issued threats, including abductions and attacks on election offices, further endangering civilians and election staff.
The UN has raised concerns over electronic-only voting combined with AI and biometric surveillance, warning that these measures could deepen mistrust and enable further repression. UN Special Envoy Julie Bishop, during her third visit to Myanmar, urged a cessation of violence to allow humanitarian response and recovery, emphasizing the need for a Myanmar-led, inclusive, and peaceful solution.
UN officials have cautioned that holding elections under these conditions risks exacerbating instability rather than restoring democracy. Secretary-General António Guterres previously warned that elections conducted amid repression and insecurity could lead to further exclusion and destabilization.
