Naypyidaw: The UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar has described the country's planned election for December 2025-January 2026 as a "mirage." The statement was made by Tom Andrews, who expressed concerns over the legitimacy of the election process, ahead of the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council update on Myanmar.

According to Anadolu Agency, Andrews criticized the military junta's approach, emphasizing that an election cannot be legitimate when opponents are imprisoned, tortured, or executed. He pointed out that under current conditions, it is illegal for journalists to report the truth and for citizens to criticize the junta.

The context for these remarks stems from the military junta's seizure of power in a 2021 coup, overthrowing Aung San Suu Kyi's government. This planned election would be the first since the coup. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has pledged that the election will take place in late 2025 and early 2026, promising opportunities for all eligible voters and asserting that preparations are underway for a "free and fair election." These assurances were made during his speech at the Peace Forum 2025 in Naypyidaw, as reported by the Ministry of Information.

Andrews urged UN member states to recognize the planned election as a charade and fraud. He emphasized that the junta relies on money, weapons, and legitimacy to maintain power and called for international efforts to deny these supports. He stressed the importance of not recognizing the junta's election as legitimate, highlighting that doing so would not incur any cost but would provide significant support to the people of Myanmar.

The rapporteur also warned against accepting the junta's election as an exit strategy from international pressure. He called for countries to reject the notion of a legitimate election, arguing that such recognition would only enable the junta to perpetuate the fraud. Andrews urged UN member states to make it clear that the election will be seen as a fraud, a stance he believes would have a significant impact.