Myanmar arrests hundreds under new election law ahead of December vote

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Dec 19 - Myanmars junta said this week it had arrested more than 200 people under a new law against undermining elections, drawing criticism from a monitoring group that the legislation is being used to block criticism of the regime and prevent scrutiny.

The military government is set to ‍begin a ​general election on December 28, the first since a 2021 coup overthrew the civilian ‍administration.

The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL),which served as an accredited international observer during the 2015 and 2020 polls, said in an assessment that the ​election protection law ​enacted by the junta in July is a major concern.

Myanmar authorities have charged at least 229 people under the law for attempting to sabotage the election process, the junta-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported this week.

It did not provide details on ‍those charged or exactly what punishment they faced. Myanmar junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun did not respond to calls seeking comment.

The law ​prohibits actions aimed at disrupting the election as well as ⁠staging protests, including criticism on social media. Those convicted of breaking the law can face punishments ranging from three years in prison to the death penalty.

The law has been used against young people putting up boycott stickers, film directors and artists who posted reactions on social media, and to charge journalists, according to ​ANFREL.

Rather than ensuring peaceful, competitive elections, the Election Protection Law is being deployed to silence dissent, deter protests, and block independent scrutiny – turning any form of election ‌monitoring into a criminal risk, the group said.

ELECTION AMID CIVIL ​WAR

Several countries, the United Nations, and rights groups have described the