Event Summary
Since its enactment on 29 July 2025, the junta has weaponized the “Law on Protecting Multi-Party Democratic General Elections from Obstruction, Hindrance and Destruction” (the “Election Protection Law”) to systematically arrest, charge, and imprison individuals and groups opposing its planned 2025/2026 elections.
A significant wave of arrests occurred in September 2025, targeting a wide spectrum of society. On 9 September, Ko Nay Thway was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for posting a video questioning the regime’s ability to hold elections. On 14 September, five individuals from Loikaw, including three minors aged 14, 16, and 17, were arrested under the same law. Subsequently, on 16 September, four men from Yangon were arrested for shouting a popular resistance slogan while riding motorcycles. Further arrests on 19 September targeted two young men for allegedly posting anti-regime stickers. In a significant escalation, the junta confirmed on 27 September that it had charged 11 senior leaders of the Karen National Union (KNU) in absentia for public statements, alongside 17 others including the Chinland Prime Minister and members of the Arakan Army (AA) and the People’s Defence Force (PDF).
These developments illustrate the regime’s use of the Election Protection Law as a tool to criminalize peaceful expression, protest, and political opposition — from grassroots activism to ethnic leadership — further shrinking civic space and undermining democratic participation. As elections approach, it is foreseeable that these crackdowns will intensify, further deteriorating the enabling environment for civil society in Myanmar.