Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that the military-controlled vote takes place against a backdrop of intensifying violence, intimidation and arbitrary arrests, leaving no space for free or meaningful participation.
“These elections are clearly taking place in an environment of violence and repression,“, Mr. Türk said in a statement.There are no conditions for the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association or peaceful assembly.»
The first phase of voting, scheduled for December 28, is organized by Myanmar’s military authorities, more than four years after their takeover in a 2021 coupdissolved the main political parties and imprisoned thousands of opponents. Key figures, including former State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, remain imprisoned.
The crisis has since degenerated into widespread armed conflict, mass displacement and economic collapse, further aggravated by devastating earthquakes in March 2025 which has worsened humanitarian suffering in large parts of the country.
Criminalized dissent
According to at the UN human rights office, OHCHRdozens of people have recently been arrested under a new “election protection law” for expressing dissent. Some received extremely harsh sentences, including three young people from Hlaingthaya township in Yangon who were jailed for between 42 and 49 years for hanging anti-election posters.
Prominent cultural figures have also been targeted. Director Mike Tee, actor Kyaw Win Htut and comedian Ohn Daing were each sentenced to seven years in prison for “undermining public trust” after criticizing a pro-election propaganda film.
For displaced communities, the pressure is even more acute. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights received reports from displaced people in some areas, including the Mandalay region, who said they had been warned that their homes would be seized – or that airstrikes would continue – if they did not return to vote.
“Forcing displaced people to undertake dangerous and involuntary returns is a violation of human rights,“, said Mr. Türk.
Threats from armed groups
At the same time, armed groups opposed to the army have made their own threats.
In mid-November, nine female teachers traveling for electoral training in the Mon region were reportedly kidnapped and released with warnings not to participate. In Yangon, the self-proclaimed “Yangon Army” bombed local government offices involved in election preparations, injuring election workers and vowing to continue attacking election organizers.
The UN also raised concerns about the introduction of electronic-only voting combined with extensive surveillance, including artificial intelligence and biometric tracking, warning that such measures could further erode trust in the process and enable repression.
A camp for displaced people in Kayah State, eastern Myanmar. (archive photo)
Pressing for peace
Speaking separately at UN headquarters, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said UN Special Envoy Julie Bishop recently completed her third visit to Myanmar, where she met again with General Min Aung Hlaing.
Mr. Dujarric said Ms. Bishop continues to highlight the urgent need to end the violence to enable humanitarian response and recoveryand to keep Myanmar on the global agenda while working towards an inclusive and peaceful Myanmar-led solution.
Ms. Bishop also informed the Security Council during a closed-door meeting Monday about the situation.
Fears of greater instability
U.N. officials have repeatedly warned that the vote risks further instability rather than restoring democracy.
In October, the Secretary-General warned that elections organized under current conditions risk “further exclusion and instability”.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
