- Thread starter
- Staff
- #1
Dadparvar
Staff member
- Nov 11, 2016
- 10,332
- 0
- 6
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) warned on Friday that Myanmar’s military junta’s planned elections, scheduled for December 28, will worsen repression and instability rather than restore democracy.
OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence described the elections as a military-controlled process conducted in an environment “rife with threats and violence.” He stated: “Far from leading a political transition from crisis to stability or restoring democratic and civilian rule, this process will almost certainly deepen insecurity, fear, and polarization throughout the country.”
James Rodehaver, the head of OHCHR’s Myanmar team, highlighted the dilemma facing civilians by emphasizing that the military pressures citizens to vote while armed opposition groups threaten retaliation for participating. Although the junta claims to have pardoned 4,000 individuals convicted of sedition, Rodehaver noted that only around 550 have been verified as released, with many subsequently rearrested. Authorities have detained over 100 individuals under new “election protection rules,” including three youths sentenced to 49 years in prison for displaying posters featuring a bullet-pierced ballot box.
Rodehaver also raised concerns about the electronic-only voting system, which relies on AI and biometric surveillance, further eroding trust in the electoral process. Large parts of the country remain beyond military control, making credible elections infeasible. Elections will not occur in 56 townships under martial law, and in 31 townships, voting will not take place due to the absence of candidates.
UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews labeled the elections a “charade” in his October 2025 report, urging the international community to “unequivocally reject” them. Andrews criticized the junta’s reforms as merely “cosmetic” and aimed at preserving military dominance. Since the February 2021 coup, the junta has detained over 30,000 political opponents, including key opposition figure Aung San Suu Kyi. Authorities dissolved at least 40 parties, including the National League for Democracy (NLD).
Myanmar’s electoral framework spurs concerns for international law. Article 25(b) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) guarantees every citizen the right “to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections” conducted by universal and equal suffrage, by secret ballot, and ensuring the free expression of voters’ will.
Last month Human Rights Watch urged global leaders to denounce Myanmar’s military junta and its planned elections, describing the process as a “sham.” HRW further recommended that states intensify diplomatic isolation of the nation’s military rulers and increase humanitarian and refugee assistance.
The military junta came to power in a February 2021 coup, and the country has since been plagued by internal conflict. The UN and other international organizations have expressed significant concern over the country’s worsening humanitarian situation, denouncing the military’s use of violence and repression.
The post UN warns planned Myanmar elections entrench repression and instability appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.
OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence described the elections as a military-controlled process conducted in an environment “rife with threats and violence.” He stated: “Far from leading a political transition from crisis to stability or restoring democratic and civilian rule, this process will almost certainly deepen insecurity, fear, and polarization throughout the country.”
James Rodehaver, the head of OHCHR’s Myanmar team, highlighted the dilemma facing civilians by emphasizing that the military pressures citizens to vote while armed opposition groups threaten retaliation for participating. Although the junta claims to have pardoned 4,000 individuals convicted of sedition, Rodehaver noted that only around 550 have been verified as released, with many subsequently rearrested. Authorities have detained over 100 individuals under new “election protection rules,” including three youths sentenced to 49 years in prison for displaying posters featuring a bullet-pierced ballot box.
Rodehaver also raised concerns about the electronic-only voting system, which relies on AI and biometric surveillance, further eroding trust in the electoral process. Large parts of the country remain beyond military control, making credible elections infeasible. Elections will not occur in 56 townships under martial law, and in 31 townships, voting will not take place due to the absence of candidates.
UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews labeled the elections a “charade” in his October 2025 report, urging the international community to “unequivocally reject” them. Andrews criticized the junta’s reforms as merely “cosmetic” and aimed at preserving military dominance. Since the February 2021 coup, the junta has detained over 30,000 political opponents, including key opposition figure Aung San Suu Kyi. Authorities dissolved at least 40 parties, including the National League for Democracy (NLD).
Myanmar’s electoral framework spurs concerns for international law. Article 25(b) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) guarantees every citizen the right “to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections” conducted by universal and equal suffrage, by secret ballot, and ensuring the free expression of voters’ will.
Last month Human Rights Watch urged global leaders to denounce Myanmar’s military junta and its planned elections, describing the process as a “sham.” HRW further recommended that states intensify diplomatic isolation of the nation’s military rulers and increase humanitarian and refugee assistance.
The military junta came to power in a February 2021 coup, and the country has since been plagued by internal conflict. The UN and other international organizations have expressed significant concern over the country’s worsening humanitarian situation, denouncing the military’s use of violence and repression.
The post UN warns planned Myanmar elections entrench repression and instability appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.