Myanmar’s military junta has announced it is pressing charges against more than 200 people for allegedly disrupting the country’s forthcoming elections, a move that rights groups and international observers have decried as another attempt to stifle dissent and entrench military rule. The announcement, made on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, comes just weeks before the start of phased elections scheduled for December 28—a poll widely dismissed by critics as a sham, taking place against the backdrop of a nearly five-year-long civil war that has left thousands dead and millions displaced.
According to state media reports cited by FRANCE 24, the junta’s home affairs minister, Tun Tun Naung, confirmed that “a total of 229 people” are being pursued for prosecution under new legislation passed in July 2025. The law, which was introduced specifically to shield the election from what the junta calls “obstruction, disruption and destruction,” forbids criticism or protest against the vote and imposes severe punishments for violators—including up to a decade in prison for some offenses.
The military government’s crackdown extends far beyond typical election security measures. The legislation not only criminalizes public criticism and protest but also outlaws damaging ballot papers and polling stations, as well as intimidating or harming voters, candidates, and election workers. The maximum punishment under these provisions reaches up to 20 years in prison. The junta’s intent is clear: to create an environment where dissent is met with swift and severe consequences, and where even the faintest sign of resistance—such as posting a “heart” emoji on a Facebook post critical of the polls—can lead to arrest and prosecution.
“A total of 229 people are being pursued for prosecution under the law for attempting to sabotage election processes,” Tun Tun Naung stated, as reported by FRANCE 24. While some of those targeted are fugitive activists and rebels operating in territories outside the junta’s control, making their arrest unlikely, the message is unmistakable: the military is determined to stamp out any opposition to its rule, particularly in the lead-up to the vote.
The upcoming elections, which the junta touts as a step toward reconciliation, are set to begin on December 28, 2025, with results expected around the end of January 2026. However, opposition factions have announced plans to block the polls in areas under their control, and prominent international monitors have dismissed the elections as little more than a pretext for the military to maintain its grip on the country. The United Nations’ human rights monitor for Myanmar, Tom Andrews, has previously labeled the election a “sham,” citing the extensive curbs on free speech as just one of many obstacles standing in the way of a free and fair vote.
The crackdown has already claimed several high-profile victims. Last week, the military government announced plans to arrest 10 activists who staged an anti-election demonstration in Mandalay city, where they tossed political pamphlets in the air to protest the vote. In September, a man was sentenced to seven years of hard labor for a Facebook post questioning the legitimacy of the poll. The following month, three artists—a director, an actor, and a comedian—were arrested for allegedly undermining the vote by criticizing artists who participated in a pro-election film. State media reported that at least one of these individuals was prosecuted for “cursing, threatening and punching” an election organizer.
These latest arrests add to an already staggering number of political prisoners in Myanmar. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 22,000 people are currently jailed on political grounds by the junta. Among them is Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s most prominent democratic figurehead, who was deposed in the February 2021 military coup. Her party, which won the last election in a landslide, was dissolved by the military after unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud—a move that marked the start of the current civil conflict.
Since the coup, Myanmar has been plunged into chaos. The civil war, now nearing its fifth year, has resulted in thousands of deaths and forced millions from their homes. The military’s efforts to consolidate power have been relentless, with ongoing offensives aimed at capturing more territory before the phased polling begins. As NPR and other outlets have reported, the scale of the violence and displacement is staggering, and the prospects for genuine political reconciliation remain bleak.
Despite the junta’s insistence that the elections represent a return to normalcy, few in the international community are convinced. Opposition groups, many of whom control significant swathes of territory, have vowed to block the polls wherever possible. International observers and rights organizations continue to sound the alarm, warning that the elections are designed not to resolve Myanmar’s deep-seated political crisis, but to legitimize military rule under the guise of democratic process.
The new election laws, passed in July 2025, have been a particular focus of criticism. Not only do they criminalize virtually all forms of dissent related to the vote, but they also set an ominous precedent for future political activity in Myanmar. The possibility of up to 10 years in prison for “obstruction” or “disruption” of the polls, combined with the threat of 20-year sentences for damaging election materials or intimidating election workers, has created a climate of fear and repression. Even minor acts—such as expressing skepticism online or criticizing pro-election artists—are now grounds for arrest and prosecution.
For those already imprisoned, the outlook is grim. Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party was dissolved after the 2021 coup, remains behind bars along with tens of thousands of others. The military’s refusal to release political prisoners or engage in meaningful dialogue with opposition groups has further eroded hopes for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
As the December 28 election date approaches, the junta’s campaign to silence dissent shows no sign of abating. The arrests, prosecutions, and sweeping new laws are all part of a broader strategy to ensure that the military remains firmly in control, regardless of the outcome at the ballot box. With opposition groups pledging to boycott or block the vote in areas they control, and international monitors warning that the process is fundamentally flawed, the stage is set for yet another chapter in Myanmar’s long and turbulent struggle for democracy.
While the junta insists that the elections are a step toward reconciliation, the reality on the ground tells a very different story—one of repression, resistance, and a nation still deeply divided by war and political upheaval.
