Amnesty International (AI), Fortify Rights (FR), and Human Rights Watch (HRW) jointly reported on January 29 that, five years after the coup, the junta's atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity have become increasingly brutal.
The groups said the junta has abused its power since the coup and sought to maintain control through the sham election.
The statement added that the junta also rigged the election it controlled held in three rounds on December 28, January 11, and January 25, to secure the victory of its proxy party.
“It’s no accident that this election has been made possible through increased human rights abuses, from arbitrary detention to unlawful attacks on civilians, which has been the military’s modus operandi for decades. As this crisis stretches into its sixth year, governments should focus on accountability and justice efforts for the many crimes committed by Myanmar military. Without these efforts, the country cannot move forward," said Ejaz Min Khant, a human rights specialist at FR.
Since the coup, the military regime has systematically banned dozens of political parties and detained more than 30,000 political prisoners.
In January, the junta reported that it had taken legal action against more than 400 people under the ‘Law on the Protection of Multiparty Democratic Elections from Obstruction, Disruption and Destruction', commonly known as the Election Protection Law, passed in July criminalizing criticism of the election by banning speech, organizing, or protest that disrupts any part of the electoral process.
In expanded military operations ahead of the election, the junta in 2025 ramped up its use of airstrikes, including deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in violation of international humanitarian law. Airstrikes have hit schools, hospitals, religious sites, and camps for displaced people, killing thousands over the past year, the three human rights groups announced.
The election has served as a centerpiece for the junta’s attempts to crush all political opposition, derail efforts to restore civilian rule, and entrench the military-controlled state, their statement added.
