Myanmar Junta Using New Election Law to Crack Down on Dissent Ahead of Sham Elections - Fortify Rights 12/16/25, 10:40 AM Furthermore, on November 26, the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar stated that it had received reports of “numerous people” being arrested under the new Election Protection Law, including individuals who had criticized the elections on social media or distributed anti-election materials. The junta-run Global New Light of Myanmar states that the Election Protection Law’s aim is to “prevent obstruction and disruption of the work process of the multiparty democratic general elections”—even though no real opposition party is allowed to participate in the staged elections, whose real aim is to legitimize and entrench military rule. It further said: The law shall cover the prevention of disruption and obstruction of the right of eligible voters to cast their votes freely under safe and secure conditions. In addition, the law aims to enable polling stations and on-duty personnel inside the stations to carry out their responsibilities with full security. The new Election Protection Law criminalizes a broad range of activities, including peaceful criticism, reporting, opinion-sharing, protests, and alleged “threats,” under the vague concept of “disruption.” Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states: Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and https://www.fortifyrights.org/mya-inv-2025-12-10/ Page 9 of 16