Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Vibhu Mishra
January 9, 2026 Human rights
An independent UN human rights expert called on the international community to reject the electoral process orchestrated by Myanmar's military government. The first round of voting revealed widespread pressure on voters, the exclusion of opposition representatives, and violence.
Tom Andrews, the UN Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur on the situation in Myanmar, emphasized in his statement that the elections lack democratic legitimacy. He recalled that high-ranking UN officials had previously warned repeatedly about the electoral process's failure to meet generally accepted standards.
According to the expert, the December 28 vote was a "staged sham" aimed at strengthening military power rather than expressing the will of the people. Andrews declared that it was not a free, fair, or legitimate election, but a "theatrical production" designed to mislead the international community.
Andrews called on UN member states to reject the process, isolate the junta, and demand the cancellation of the two remaining stages of voting. Andrews emphasized that Myanmar's future must belong to its people, not to those who "imprison, silence, and intimidate."
Myanmar's military authorities held a multi-stage vote five years after seizing power in a coup in February 2021. Since then, the country has been engulfed in widespread armed conflict between the army and numerous ethnic groups, leading to mass displacement, economic collapse, and mounting humanitarian needs, exacerbated by devastating earthquakes in March 2025.
The next two rounds of elections are scheduled for January 11 and 25, but the junta has already ruled out voting in at least 65 districts and thousands of towns, indicating its weak control over the territory.
Low turnout and voter pressure
According to data cited by the expert, turnout in the first round was extremely low, despite threats and intimidation. The National League for Democracy, the party that won the 2015 and 2020 elections, was dissolved by the military and banned. Its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains in custody, and her condition is unknown.
Official results show that the junta's proxy party, the Solidarity and Development Party, won nearly 90 percent of the seats in the lower house of parliament. Andrews noted that this is unsurprising, as the process was designed to ensure a victory for the military-backed party and create a semblance of legitimacy amid ongoing violence.
Coercion and threats
According to Andrews, the military used the threat of forced conscription to force young people to vote. The expert emphasized that this wasn't participation in the political process, but outright coercion.
Displaced persons, students, civil servants and prisoners were also reportedly subjected to pressure, including threats of being denied humanitarian aid, education and official documents.
Andrews noted that it is impossible to talk about free and fair elections when thousands of political prisoners are behind bars, opposition parties are dissolved, journalists are persecuted, and fundamental freedoms are destroyed.
Speaking about attacks on election commission employees, the expert called on all armed groups to stop targeting civilians.
Special Rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor human rights situations. They are not UN employees and do not receive a salary for their work.
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