FROM SHAM TO SCAM:
Overview of Burma/Myanmar’s
Fraudulent Election
(25 Dec 2025 - 31 Jan 2026)
BN 2026/2119 6 Feb 2026
Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing led the
implementation
of
repressive
electoral
amendments to ban parties that won over 90% of
seats in 2020, jail critics, and ensure the victory of
the military-controlled USDP.
●
Although the junta designed the polls to
legitimize itself and appease China, the sham
election deteriorated from a stage-managed
process to overwhelming violence and fraud.
●
To ensure tight military control, voting was held
in 3 phases - Phase 1 (28 Dec 2025), Phase 2 (11
Jan 2026), and Phase 3 (25 Jan 2026).
●
During 20 Dec 2025 - 30 Jan 2026, there were 1,288
armed clashes and attacks against civilians,
which killed 281 civilians in 178 (out of 330)
townships. The junta launched 308 airstrikes
across 89 townships.
●
Meanwhile, 404 people were charged under the
junta’s Election Protection Law, with 9 receiving
lengthy jail sentences of up to 49 years.
●
The polls took place as the junta held nearly
23,000 political prisoners - the highest number in
SE Asia. The number of political prisoners
continued to rise during and after the polls.
●
67 townships and 4,000 wards and village tracts
were excluded from the sham poll. An estimated
10.5 million voters were excluded, while another
11 million boycotted. In Chin State alone, less
than 5% of voters participated.
●
Despite disinformation, intimidation, and threats,
the junta’s USDP won on an abysmal voter
turnout of 13.1 million votes, compared with 25.9
million votes cast in the 2020 general election.
●
The junta’s intention to resume forced
conscription and its regressive economic
approach make economic recovery and conflict
reduction almost impossible.
●
Meanwhile, the junta continues to supply Russia
with bombs to be used in Ukraine, and colludes
with Iran on sanction-busting, making it a greater
threat to regional and international stability.
CONTENTS
The junta’s Desperate Gamble for Legitimacy 2
Free & Fair? Think Forced & Flawed .............. 3
Limited control + public boycott = “joke”.......... 3
Coercion & fraud ........................................... 4
Intimidation & violence fail to raise turnout ...... 4
Advance Voting manipulation overrides election
rejection ........................................................ 5
USDP buys Rohingya votes with citizenship
promise: “diversity” party makes genocide
policy ............................................................ 6
Silencing dissent through violence & arrests ... 6
Sham Election Outcomes ............................... 7
Worsening Conflict ......................................... 8
Attacks & airstrikes during the sham election .. 9
Resistance to the Sham Polls ....................... 10
International Response................................. 11
Prognosis: What’s Next? .............................. 12
Armed conflict set to continue ...................... 12
The junta will step up forced conscription ..... 13
Rohingya between Genocide &
Conscription ................................................. 13
Rohingya continue to be persecuted; “new
govt” offers no resolution ............................. 13
Safe return for Rohingya currently
impossible ................................................... 14
Sham Election - Sham Economics ............... 14
Glossary: Sham Election Political Parties .... 16
Addendum: States & Regions Breakdown ... 17
This briefer provides a summarized overview
of all 3 phases of the sham election. Overview
of Phases 1 & 2:
Phase 1 Overview
Phase 2 Overview
More detailed summaries are available at:
Digest covering 25 Dec – 27 Dec (noon)
Digest covering 27 Dec – 28 Dec (noon)
Digest covering 28 Dec – 29 Dec (noon)
Digest covering 29 Dec – 30 Dec (noon)
Digest covering 30 Dec – 5 Jan (noon)
Digest covering 5 Jan – 11 Jan (noon)
Digest covering 11 Jan – 12 Jan (noon)
Digest covering 12 Jan – 14 Jan (noon)
Digest covering 14 Jan - 21 Jan (noon)
Digest covering 21 Jan – 25 Jan (noon)
Digest covering 25 Jan – 26 Jan (noon)
Digest covering 26 Jan– 28 Jan (noon)
Sham election news since 2021:
Sham election tracker.
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