Myanmar Junta Stepped Up Crimes Against Humanity Before Sham Election: Rights Groups

Myanmar’s junta intensified attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in 2025, committing widescale crimes against humanity in the lead-up to its stage-managed election, international human rights groups say.

Amnesty International, Fortify Rights, and Human Rights Watch said violence escalated as the military sought to use the polls to crush political opposition, derail efforts to restore civilian rule and entrench a military-controlled state.

“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,” said Ejaz Min Khant, human rights specialist at Fortify Rights.