In the first quarter of 2022, the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) released reports of its observation of the local elections in Thailand and the presidential election in Timor-Leste. The 2021 Thai Tambon Administrative Organization (TAO) elections, ANFREL found, were more genuine and democratic in nature than the 2019 general election.
Update 7 April 2022, 12 noon: The registration is full. Walk-ins are not available due to limited seats available. The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) cordially invites you to the launch of its Hong Kong electoral changes assessment report and the screening of the "Revolution of Our Times" documentary. The details
The ASEAN envoy to Myanmar completed his three-day in Myanmar failing to meet key political figures and groups including ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, election preparations have been put on hold citing the current political situation, and the US has determined that the Myanmar military committed genocide against Rohingya. Here
The ASEAN Envoy to Myanmar and Cambodia's foreign minister Prak Sokhonn arrived in Naypyitaw on 21 March 2022 to facilitate the peacemaking and implementation of the five-point consensus that the junta leaders and the ASEAN heads of the governments have reached in April 2021. The five-point consensus includes immediate cessation of violence,
21 March 2022Dili, Timor-Leste The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) wishes to congratulate the citizens of Timor-Leste, the Technical Secretariat for Election Administration (STAE), the National Elections Commission (CNE), and the national police force (PNTL) for a peaceful, genuine, and transparent first round of the 2022 Timorense presidential election. We salute
It's election day in Timor-Leste! As 859,613 registered voters are invited to cast their votes to choose the next President of the Republic, five international observers from ANFREL are monitoring the opening, polling, and counting processes at polling stations in the municipalities of Ainaro, Baucau, Covalima, and Dili. Here are selected pictures
The hearing of alleged election fraud in 2020 Myanmar general election took place on 11 March 2022 in Naypyitaw at junta courts that the deputy director-general of the junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) has been questioned by the defense lawyers during cross-examination. Media reported that there are 22 witnesses for the prosecution
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), in its final comprehensive report on its observation of the 2021 Tambon Administrative Organization (TAO) elections in Thailand, said the polls were more genuine and democratic in nature than the 2019 general election. ANFREL said the conduct of the first tambon elections since the 2014
The pilot ANFREL Southeast Asia Media Fellowship on Election Reporting recently concluded helping train six journalists from different countries in the region as well as develop and produce compelling stories that reflect and amplify the issues and challenges that electoral stakeholders face. Launched in August 2021 thanks to the generous support of
NAMFREL wishes the new Chairman and Commissioners of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) all the best in their new posts. Their appointment comes at a crucial period as the Commission prepares for the upcoming May 9, 2022 elections. Foremost of the challenges ahead is securing the elections and ensuring that it is
First published on The Diplomat on 9 March 2022, "Elections in a Pandemic: How Filipinos Can Safely Elect Their Leaders" was produced under the ANFREL Southeast Asia Media Fellowship on Election Reporting. The Philippines will soon conduct one of Asia’s largest elections in 2022. One expert says the campaign period is beginning
International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8 every year around the world. The IWD 2022 campaign theme is "Break The Bias". Women have taken charge to advance the exercise of their civil and political rights in different aspects of everyday living but obstacles remain, limiting the progress of women to have
The special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for Myanmar and Cambodia's foreign minister Prak Sokhonn announced that he is to visit Myanmar for four days on 20-23 March 2022. This comes after some of the ASEAN member countries criticized the Myanmar junta for making no progress in resolving
This monthly brief intends to provide an update on democracy and election-related issues in selected countries and territories under a restrictive environment. Download here: Monthly Brief on Countries under Restrictive Environment - Series #11: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong & Myanmar (February 2022)
First published on the Bangkok Post on 28 February 2022, "More young people in Myanmar taking up arms" was produced under the ANFREL Southeast Asia Media Fellowship on Election Reporting. Young people in Mon State who not long ago were actively engaged in campaigning for elections in Myanmar have shifted from protesting
The junta has threatened the Myanmar political parties of potential disbandment if they do not comply with its order to submit their financial accounts for inspection by 9 March 2022. The junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) has said that if the parties do not comply with the instruction, they would face legal
First published on workpointTODAY on 17 February 2022, "Thailand: Why do we have so few women in Parliament?" was produced under the ANFREL Southeast Asia Media Fellowship on Election Reporting. By Wasinee Pabuprapap Women have held leadership positions in different sectors of society in Thailand, even in public office but they remain
First published on Malaysiakini on 30 January 2022, "Elections during COVID-19: Reforms can cure ailing democracy" was produced under the ANFREL Southeast Asia Media Fellowship on Election Reporting. By Ng Xiang Yi The poor voter turnout in the Malacca (65.85 percent) and Sarawak (60.67 percent) state elections last year amid the Covid-19
First published on Southeast Asia Globe on 2 December 2021, "Vietnam’s Festival of the People celebrates electoral failures" was produced under the ANFREL Southeast Asia Media Fellowship on Election Reporting. Trinh and her husband went to his family’s house in Hanoi’s Thanh Xuân district, where they lived before moving to a new
ANFREL member in the Philippines, Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), released a statement on COMELEC's Oplan Baklas which has raised issues and concerns among electoral stakeholders. Read the full statement below:
Cambodian Prime Minister and the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Hun Sen admitted that it was a mistake for taking credit in helping to free the Australian Professor Sean Turnell, an economic adviser to ousted Myanmar state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, detained by the junta in
On 1 February 2022, Myanmar completed a year since the military coup during which the junta detained Myanmar state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, Chairman of the Union Election Commission Hla Thein and many other political leaders and activists in the early hours of 1 February 2021. ANFREL has
Over the past year since the coup, the Myanmar military junta has weaponized laws to further restrict rights and freedoms in the country. Here are key provisions and amendments to laws that the junta has proposed and enacted:
This monthly brief intends to provide an update on democracy and election-related issues in selected countries and territories under a restrictive environment.
Myanmar ruling party National League of Democracy won a landslide victory in the general election on 8 November 2020, winning 396 out of 476 elected seats (83%) in the Union Parliament. The military-linked opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party, however, alleged that there were irregularities in the electoral process and demanded fresh
In the coming week, Myanmar will complete 12 months under the junta regime since the military staged a coup on 1 February 2021 on the allegation of voter fraud in the 2020 Myanmar General Elections undermining the voices of the people that they expressed through the electoral process. Since the coup, the
Five fresh corruption charges were brought by the junta against Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi last week in relation to the alleged hiring and purchase of helicopters for the management of natural disasters and official affairs, which could lead to 75 years of imprisonment as each case can carry a
This week started with another four-year sentence by the special junta court in Naypyitaw to Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday. The sentence includes two years of imprisonment for the illegal import of walkie talkies under the export-import law, one year for the possession of the devices under the
The following is the December issue of ANFREL's Monthly Brief on Countries under Restrictive Environment to provide an update on democracy and election-related issues in selected countries and territories under a restrictive environment. Download here: Monthly Brief on Countries under Restrictive Environment - Series #9: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar & Hong Kong
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is commemorating 25 years of advancing electoral democracy in Asia in 2022. In the last quarter of 2021, ANFREL organized the Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum 5 where participants adopted the “AESF 5 Memorandum: The Way Forward for Elections Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic.” ANFREL also observed
