As Myanmar heads toward elections scheduled for 28 December, the United Nations has warned that civilians are being coerced and intimidated from multiple directions, leaving no space for free or meaningful political participation.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said the military-controlled vote is taking place in a climate of violence, repression, and fear, with civilians pressured by the authorities to participate while armed opposition groups threaten those who do.
“These elections are clearly taking place in an environment of violence and repression,” Türk said, stressing that conditions do not exist for the exercise of freedom of expression, association, or peaceful assembly.
A Vote Under Military Control
The first phase of voting is being organised by Myanmar’s military authorities more than four years after the 2021 coup, which dismantled the elected government, dissolved major political parties, and jailed thousands of political opponents.
Senior political figures remain imprisoned, including former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
Since the coup, Myanmar has descended into widespread armed conflict, mass displacement, and economic collapse—conditions further aggravated by powerful earthquakes in March 2025, which intensified humanitarian needs across the country.
Dissent Criminalised
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), dozens of people have been detained in recent weeks under a new “election protection law” aimed at silencing criticism.
Among the most severe cases:
- Three young people in Yangon’s Hlaingthaya Township were sentenced to 42–49 years in prison for hanging anti-election posters.
- Prominent cultural figures—including film director Mike Tee, actor Kyaw Win Htut, and comedian Ohn Daing—were each jailed for seven years after criticising a pro-election propaganda film.
Displaced communities face additional pressure. OHCHR reports that internally displaced people in areas such as Mandalay Region were warned their homes could be seized or airstrikes would continue if they failed to return to vote.
“Forcing displaced people to undertake unsafe and involuntary returns is a human rights violation,” Türk said.
Threats From Armed Opposition Groups
At the same time, armed groups opposing the military have issued their own warnings against participation.
In mid-November, nine women teachers travelling to ballot-training sessions in Mon Region were reportedly abducted and later released with threats not to engage in the election process. In Yangon, a group calling itself the “Yangon Army” carried out bomb attacks on local administrative offices involved in election preparations, injuring election staff and vowing further assaults.
UN officials have also raised alarm over the introduction of electronic-only voting, combined with expanded surveillance systems using artificial intelligence and biometric tracking, warning these tools could further erode trust and facilitate repression.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
At UN Headquarters, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, Julie Bishop, recently completed her third visit to the country.
During the visit, she again met with junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, urging an end to violence to allow humanitarian access and recovery. She also briefed the UN Security Council in closed consultations on the deteriorating situation.
Fears of Deepening Instability
UN officials have repeatedly cautioned that the planned vote is unlikely to restore democracy. Instead, they warn it may entrench instability and prolong conflict.
In October, the Secretary-General cautioned that elections held under current conditions risk “further exclusion and instability”—a warning that UN human rights officials say remains highly relevant.
