“It is evident that these elections are taking place in an environment of violence and repression,“Mr. Türk said in a press release.”There are no conditions for the exercise of the rights of freedom of expression, association or peaceful assembly.”
The first phase of voting, scheduled for December 28, is organized by Myanmar’s military authorities more than four years after they seized power in a coup in 2021, dissolved major political parties and jailed thousands of opponents. Key figures, including former State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi, remain imprisoned.
The crisis has since escalated into widespread armed conflict, mass displacement and economic collapse, further aggravated by the devastating earthquakes of March 2025 that deepened humanitarian suffering in much of the country.
Criminalized dissent
According to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, dozens of people have recently been detained under a new “electoral protection law” for expressing dissent. Some have received extremely harsh sentences, including three young men from Yangon’s Hlaingthaya township who were jailed for between 42 and 49 years for hanging anti-election posters.
Prominent cultural figures have also been attacked. Film director Mike Tee, actor Kyaw Win Htut and comedian Ohn Daing were each sentenced to seven years in prison for “undermining public trust” after criticizing a pro-election propaganda film.
For displaced communities, the pressure is even more acute. The UN human rights office has received reports from internally displaced people in areas such as the Mandalay region, who said they were warned that their homes would be confiscated – or that airstrikes would continue – if they did not return to vote.
“Forcing displaced people to undertake unsafe and involuntary returns is a violation of human rights,”said Mr. Türk.
Threats from armed groups
At the same time, armed groups opposing the military have issued threats of their own.
In mid-November, nine female teachers traveling to attend an election training in the Mon region were allegedly kidnapped and later released with warnings not to participate. In Yangon, the self-proclaimed “Yangon Army” bombed local administration offices involved in election preparations, injured election staff, and vowed to continue attacking election organizers.
The UN has also expressed concern about the introduction of electronic-only voting combined with expanded surveillance, including artificial intelligence and biometric tracking, warning that such measures could further erode trust in the process and enable repression.
An internally displaced persons camp in Kayah State, eastern Myanmar. (file photo)
Pushing for peace
Speaking separately at U.N. headquarters, spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said U.N. special envoy Julie Bishop recently completed her third visit to Myanmar, where she met again with General Min Aung Hlaing.
Mr. Dujarric said that Ms. Bishop continues Highlight the urgent need for a cessation of violence to enable humanitarian response and recovery.and keep Myanmar on the global agenda while working toward a peaceful, inclusive, Myanmar-led solution.
Ms Bishop also briefed the Security Council on the situation in a closed-door meeting on Monday.
Fears of further instability
U.N. officials have repeatedly warned that the vote risks entrenching instability rather than restoring democracy.
In October, the Secretary-General warned that elections held under current conditions risk “further exclusion and instability.”