The military junta has opened cases under election laws against four men accused of destroying campaign signs of election candidates in Hpetkaleik village, Kyaikto Township, Mon State, according to sources close to the junta’s security police.

On December 12, two men allegedly used knives to cut and destroy campaign signs of People’s Party candidates that were erected in front of the village administrator’s office in Hpetkaleik village, sources said.

The following day, on December 13, two other men reportedly destroyed campaign signs belonging to candidates from the Ethnic Unity Party at the same location.

Over the destruction of the campaign signs, the military junta has filed cases against the four men at Kyaikto Town Police Station under Section 24(b) of the Law to Protect Multi-Party Democratic General Elections from Obstruction, Disruption, and Destruction. Authorities are also working to arrest the suspects, according to sources close to the security police.

“We are investigating those who destroyed the candidates’ campaign signs, and cases have been opened against the four men at Kyaikto Town Police Station under Section 24(b) of the election protection law,” a source close to the security police said.

Under Section 24(b) of the law used by the military junta, those found guilty can face a maximum prison sentence of up to 10 years.

In a related case last November, the military junta charged 65-year-old U Kyaw Myint over allegations of tearing down lists of candidate names posted at the village administrator’s office in Kunyaik village, Chaungzon Township, Mon State. He was prosecuted under Sections 26(a) and 24(a) of the same election protection law and sentenced to 17 years in prison.

The military junta enacted the election protection law on July 29. Since then, people across the country have been arrested on accusations of obstructing or disrupting the election process. Nearly 100 people nationwide are currently facing legal action under the law, according to available records.