Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN human rights office, OHCHR, informed reporters in Geneva that voting is set to begin on 28 December. He described it as a military-controlled election held in an environment filled with threats and violence, suppressing political participation. Many major political parties have been excluded, and over 30,000 political opponents, including members of the democratically elected government, have been detained since the 2021 coup. “Far from being a process that could spearhead a political transition from crisis to stability and the restoration of democratic and civilian rule, this process seems nearly certain to further ingrain insecurity, fear, and polarization throughout the country,” Mr. Laurence remarked. “The utmost priority must be to end the violence and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid.”
Civilians caught in the middle
From Bangkok, James Rodehaver, head of OHCHR’s Myanmar team, stated that the elections are being pushed through where civilians are pressured by the military to vote and face aggressive efforts by armed opposition groups to prevent participation. The junta claimed to have issued some 4,000 pardons for those charged or convicted of sedition or incitement, but Mr. Rodehaver said such announcements rarely match reality. Of the approximately 4,000 people, only about 550 have been seen leaving detention, while others were rearrested. Meanwhile, the military reported arresting over 100 people under new “election protection rules.” OHCHR has credible information that three young people were sentenced to 49 years in prison for hanging posters showing a ballot box with a bullet.
AI and biometric tracking
Mr. Rodehaver also expressed concerns over the electronic-only voting system, introduced alongside expanded surveillance using artificial intelligence and biometric tracking, warning it risks further undermining trust in the process. Humanitarian access is also worsening, with civilians forced to return to unsafe villages to vote, while the military blocks aid to conflict-affected areas. Nearly 23,000 individuals remain in detention who “should not have been arrested in the first place,” he stated. UN rights officials noted that the military presents the vote as a sign the crisis is ending, despite the Secretary-General’s warning in October that under current conditions, any elections “risk further exclusion and instability.” Millions across Myanmar have been displaced by fighting and disasters and are now sheltering in IDP camps.
‘A charade’
Beyond the concerns raised by UN officials, the independent rights expert on Myanmar has issued a starker warning about the junta’s election plans. In his October 2025 report to the General Assembly, Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews said the international community should “unequivocally reject and denounce the charade” of the junta’s planned elections. Mr. Andrews, appointed and mandated by the Human Rights Council, noted recent institutional changes by the military were merely “cosmetic,” designed to reposition the junta for its election ploy while power remains concentrated in the hands of military leaders. Key opposition figures, including Aung San Suu Kyi, remain imprisoned, and at least 40 political parties, including the National League for Democracy (NLD), have been dissolved. New electoral laws criminalize dissent, restrict digital expression, and impose harsh penalties for perceived election “disruption,” while vast areas of the country remain outside military control, making a nationwide vote impossible, the report stated. “Elections held on the junta’s terms will only deepen division and fuel further violence,” Mr. Andrews warned, adding that while the people of Myanmar are expected to “reject the results as illegitimate,” the junta’s true target audience is foreign governments whose recognition it seeks.
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