Myanmar: Human rights defenders and journalists remain at risk while torture and ill-treatment of political prisoners persist

Mizzima

Myanmar’s civic space is rated “closed” by the CIVICUS Monitor in their latest report assessing developments this year.

Since the 2021 coup, thousands of activists and protesters have been detained on fabricated charges including terrorism, incitement and sedition. Many have been convicted by secret military tribunals in unfair trials and given harsh sentences, including the death penalty. Some have been tortured or killed. There has also been an unrelenting crackdown on the media. Many independent civil society groups have had to shut down, operate underground or outside the country.

In March 2026, the UN Human Rights Council issued a resolution where it expressed serious concern at the unilateral convening by the Myanmar military of elections that excluded much of the country’s geographical territory and many political parties, at a time when it is clear that there can be no meaningful participation of all political parties and groups, and that they were neither free nor fair.

Tom Andrews, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar released his final report in April 2026. He called on the international community to step up efforts for accountability in Myanmar, saying that decades of impunity have led the country to a human rights catastrophe. While cases before international tribunals and judicial authorities in other countries offer a glimmer of hope to victims and the people of Myanmar, they are narrow in scope and insufficient to break the system of impunity that shields the military from accountability.

In June 2026, during the UN Human Rights Council session, the High Commissioner for Human Rights presented his report on the overall situation of human rights in Myanmar. In the report he stated that, since the coup, 30,508 individuals had been arrested on political grounds, and 22,799 remained in detention. Individuals were prosecuted ahead of elections, including for minor online criticism, with disproportionate punishment. Access to information remained precarious, with widespread Internet shutdowns.

Investigations by the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) released in August 2026 show a pattern of deliberate aerial attacks targeting homes, schools, medical facilities, religious buildings and camps for internally displaced persons, causing deaths, injuries and destruction. The IIMM also collected and analysed extensive evidence of arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence in military-run detention facilities, including cases linked to the 2025 law criminalising criticism of the elections. Numerous individuals have been arrested under the law and face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and the death penalty for activities such as posting critical comments on social media.

Also in August 2026, a UN Human Rights report found that the human rights situation in Myanmar, in particular that of minority communities, has plummeted to a new low, from the ever-worsening brutal abuse of the Rohingya population to the devastating impact of illicit economies, notably illegal mining for rare earths.

On 7th September 2026, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that efforts to normalise relations without any sign whatsoever that the military are complying with fundamental obligations under international law will only fuel even greater violence and violations against civilians, in Myanmar and beyond. He urged member states to refer the full situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court through the Security Council, and to end transfers to Myanmar of arms, ammunition, jet fuel and dual-use items, where there is a clear risk they could facilitate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

Since March 2026, there have been reports on the digital repression of human rights defenders (HRDs), challenges for HRDs in Kachin and Northern Shan states and risks, criminalisation, and attacks against environmental HRDs. Torture and ill-treatment of political prisoners and other detainees were reported including in Insein prison. The forced conscription of young people persisted. There has been surveillance of mobile phones and challenges in accessing the Starlink internet. There were reports that independent media outlets were blocked during elections and access to them dropped due to a firewall and surveillance. The licences of three news outlets were revoked, and a journalist was denied medical care. A move to restart the controversial Myitsone dam sparked protests while a court sentenced activists to 37 years over an election protest.