Min Aung Hlaing claims "no major objections" to Myanmar’s elections despite arrest of over 400 critics

Mizzima

During a high-level meeting with the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force on 25 February, junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing characterized the military’s recent general election as a success, asserting that the process met with “no major objections.”

Speaking at Zeyathiri Beikman, the Senior General maintained that the three-phase vote conducted in 263 townships starting in late 2025 was free and fair, clearing the path for the military to convene parliament in mid-March and appoint a new president by early April.

“The election was successfully held without any major objections so far, and preparations are underway to convene a parliament in the upcoming month,” the junta said in a statement.

However, this narrative of smooth democratic transition stands in stark contrast to the junta’s legal crackdown on dissent. According to military records, over 400 individuals were arrested between July 2025 and January 2026 under the Law on the Protection of Multiparty Democratic General Elections from Obstruction, Disruption, and Destruction – a law specifically used to target those who publicly criticized the polls.

While the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) secured a landslide victory, other participating parties, such as the Union Peace and Unity Party (UPUP), have noted widespread irregularities in voter lists and advance voting procedures. Though these parties have refrained from filing formal legal challenges to the Union Election Commission (UEC), they reported a surge of “informal complaints” and submissions regarding the conduct of the vote.

The Union Peace and Unity Party (UPUP) told Mizzima on 14 February that while no official complaints had been filed, numerous suggestions, submissions, and informal complaints had been raised.

Revolutionary forces, as well as local and international organizations, have strongly criticized the military’s election, arguing that it cannot be considered free or fair and describing it as a sham.

The military authorities, however, maintain that the election was conducted in a free and fair manner. They have announced plans to convene parliament in March, elect a president in early April, and form a new government thereafter.

During the meeting, Min Aung Hlaing and the Thai air force chief also discussed election-related matters, along with the current status of bilateral military cooperation, including training programs and ways to further strengthen ties between the two-armed forces.