Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar warns of international crimes in lead up to regime elections

The U.N. Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) stated on Wednesday that it has received an increasing number of reports of serious international crimes committed ahead of the regime’s 2025-26 elections set to begin on Dec. 28 and continue into January 2026. 

“Conducting an election that is not free and fair, or which violates a country’s constitution, does not constitute a crime within the [IIMM] mandate, which is limited to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide,” said Nicholas Koumijian, the head of the IIMM. 

Koumjian highlighted that the regime enacted an Election Protection Law on July 29 to prosecute any citizen who criticizes the elections with a minimum sentence of three years in prison up to a maximum sentence of the death penalty. 

At least 161 people have been charged under the Election Protection Law with 34 arrested and five convicted, according to DVB data. 

Regime media reported on Nov. 19 that three residents of Yangon’s Hlaingthaya Township had been sentenced from 42 to 29 years in prison for “spreading stickers” containing words that rejected Myanmar’s elections.

The IIMM is collecting evidence of arrests “without a legal basis,” and  is also investigating reports of increasing airstrikes on civilian areas as the regime attempts to regain territory it lost to resistance groups, since the uprising to the 2021 military coup began, in order to be able to hold polls in these townships. 

“I want to make it clear to all parties that targeting civilians is a violation of the laws of war. We are  collecting evidence of these crimes so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice,” Koumjian added.