MYANMAR JUNTA’S PLANNED ELECTIONS: FALLING SHORT OF DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMACY
proving that it did not engage in the election dispute resolution process
in good faith.
In April 2021, the SAC released a 118-page booklet detailing the
military’s accusations of election fraud, claiming that it had found
10,482,116 fraudulent entries on the voter lists. ANFREL denounced
this report at the time as “filled with false truths, misrepresented
facts, and inaccuracies6”. The junta-appointed UEC has since released
a consolidated report, claiming an even higher number of 11,305,390
fraudulent voters7, or about 30% of all registered voters.
However, no concrete evidence of this alleged fraud or disaggregated
data was ever made public. The junta-appointed election commission has
nevertheless charged at least 505 people with election fraud since the
coup.
It remains ANFREL’s informed opinion that the results of the 2020
general election were, by and large, representative of the will of the
people of Myanmar, and that the military used baseless claims of
widespread fraud to circumvent due process of law.
Applicable international standards:
•
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 8: “Everyone
has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national
tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him
by the constitution or by law.”
•
Article 2(3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights states that any person whose rights or freedoms are
violated has the right to an effective remedy by competent
judicial, administrative or legislative authorities.
6
7
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ANFREL, “Report Launch: ANFREL IEOM to 2020 Myanmar General Elections”, 17 May 2021, https://www.
facebook.com/ANFREL/videos/1117553968743334
Union Election Commission, “Findings on the Investigation of Electoral Frauds and Malpractices in 2020 Multiparty Democracy General Election”, https://2020election.uec.gov.mm