VOICES The 2025 election should not be viewed as a genuine democratic transition, but rather as another attempt by the military to maintain and legitimise its power. Han Thar Nyein Co-founder of Kamayut Media and a freelance journalist This is an interview with Han Thar Nyein, co-founder of Kamayut Media and a freelance journalist. He was arrested by the military regime forces during a raid on their Kamayut media office in March 2021. He was sentenced to seven years in prison under section 505(a) of the Penal Code and article 33(a) of the Electronic Transactions Law and released on amnesty in April last year. The military has rebranded itself through the General Ne Win seized power in a military coup. 2025–26 elections and the formation of a new At that time, the majority of the people wanted civilian government. Has this political transition a socialist system, and the military claimed changed the operating environment for inde- that it would implement socialism, taking the pendentmedia, or is it largely a continuation lead in establishing that system. of previous military rule? Later, after the 1988 uprising, when there For me, nothing has really changed. were promises to implement a multi-party That is the short version. If I had to give a one-word democratic system, it was once again the mil- answer, it would just be No. But if you want itary that took the lead in shaping and over- a longer explanation, here’s how I’d respond. seeing that process. Then, during the 2010 First, after Myanmar gained independence, political transition, when Myanmar was sup- Update on Journalism and Media Safety in Myanmar 17