YANGON: Myanmar’s junta said on Wednesday (Dec 17) it was seeking to prosecute more than 200 people for “disruption” of upcoming military-run elections, wielding new legislation rights monitors say aims to crush dissent.
The junta is touting phased elections starting Dec 28 as a step towards reconciliation in Myanmar, which has been consumed by civil war since the military snatched power in a 2021 coup.
Opposition factions are set to block the polls in areas of the country they control, and prominent international monitors have dismissed the ballots as a pretext for continuing military rule.
The junta introduced legislation in July to shield the election from “obstruction, disruption and destruction”, with clauses forbidding criticism or protest against the vote, and outlining severe punishments.
“A total of 229 people” are being pursued for prosecution under the law “for attempting to sabotage election processes”, junta home affairs minister Tun Tun Naung said on Wednesday, according to state media.
Some of the cases involve fugitive activists and rebels operating beyond the junta’s reach, making it unlikely that all of the suspects are currently in custody.
Convictions under the July laws in Myanmar’s opaque courts can result in up to a decade in prison, and authorities have made arrests for as little as posting a “heart” emoji on Facebook posts criticising the polls.
The legislation also outlaws damaging ballot papers and polling stations, as well as intimidating or harming voters, candidates and election workers, with a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.
Source: CNA
