The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is hosting two side events to the Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum 5 on 21 October 2021 at 3-4 p.m. (Bangkok time). The two parallel side events will discuss the democratic backsliding in Hong Kong and what the international community could do nine months since the
Ousted leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi described as “all absurd” the testimony by the detained Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein against her. She has applied for hearings to take place every two weeks instead of weekly as her health has suffered from her frequent appearances at court. The defense
The court trying ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her economic adviser Prof. Sean Turnell, and three Union ministers who have been charged under the Official Secrets Act have been moved to another venue within the Nay Pyi Taw Council compound with a limited number of lawyers allowed to attend. Phyo Min
The following is the August issue of ANFREL's Monthly Brief on Countries under Restrictive Environment that covers democracy and civil and political rights issues in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Hong Kong.
Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi pleaded ‘not guilty’ to incitement charges under Section 505b of the Penal Code According to her legal team and her economic adviser Sean Turnell, she appeared at the Dekkhinathiri District Court in Naypyitaw, along with three ousted Union ministers for the first time since their arrest
The junta will put ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on a new trial on four charges of corruption beginning on Oct 1 in Naypyidaw, adding to the ongoing cases that could see her jailed for decades. The Special Court in Naypyidaw has set a date for the sentencing of three defendants,
Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) declared on 7 September a people’s “defensive war” against the junta, calling on all citizens to “revolt against the rule of military terrorists led by coup leader Min Aung Hlaing in every corner of the country” and declared all of Myanmar to be under a state of
ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar is in talks with the junta for his trip to Myanmar and seeking access to ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He has proposed a 4-month ceasefire by all sides to enable the smooth delivery of the first batch of humanitarian assistance to the country. The National
The following is the August issue of ANFREL's Monthly Brief on Countries under Restrictive Environment that covers democracy and civil and political rights issues in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Hong Kong. Download here: Monthly Brief on Countries under Restrictive Environment - Series #5 (August 2021)
The Myanmar Military is preparing to file another lawsuit against deposed President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has lodged a complaint with the police station in Naypyidaw's Zabu Thiri township alleging that the two leaders were involved in corruption over new land plots
Myanmar's parallel National Unity Government (NUG) Vice President Duwa Lashi La said the date for the start of fighting (“D Day”) has been decided and they are preparing to fight for the protection of the lives and property of citizens. The date will be submitted to the NUG cabinet for a decision.
As 8 August 2021 marked for Myanmar the 33rd anniversary of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising, a historic protest movement in which the cry for democracy of Myanmar’s people was heard around the world, activists around the country renewed calls to end military rule once and for all. The Association of Southeast Asian
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), the leading election monitoring group in Asia, is proud to launch its pilot media fellowship on election reporting for Southeast Asian journalists. The fellowship program seeks to equip journalists from independent news outlets and freelance journalists in empowering the electorate through crucial reporting of underrepresented
The Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, staged a military coup on 1 February 2021, just before the new parliament elected through the 2020 General Elections was to convene. The coup triggered mass nationwide protests and a civil disobedience movement, causing over 900 people being killed and thousands being detained to date. On the
The junta-appointed election commission of Myanmar has officially nullified the results of the November 2020 general elections, claiming there was widespread fraud. The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) issued a statement that people's power is elected by the people, who are the original owners of sovereignty, and it cannot be annulled by
Demonstrations were held across Myanmar on the public Martyr’s Day holiday to commemorate slain independence heroes, including the father of the country's detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta excluded Suu Kyi from the annual Martyrs’ Day observances honoring her father, Gen. Aung San, and other heroes who led Myanmar to
Myanmar detained State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and former Naypyitaw Council Chairman Dr. Myo Aung appeared at a special court in Naypyitaw’s Zabuthiri township for their trial for incitement under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code. The junta filed fresh charges against Suu Kyi, bringing the
The junta’s special court in Naypyitaw on 6 July rejected objections by the defense team of ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to the introduction of prosecution evidence against her on a sedition charge with the argument that it failed to follow established judicial procedure. Former Rakhine State Chief Minister U
Myanmar ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in the special court in Naypyitaw on 29 June and the court accepted the two evidence documents submitted by the junta for the case charged under Section 505(b) to incite unrest in the country although the lawyers of Aung San Suu Kyi objected. Those
ANFREL published its June issue of the monthly brief on the countries under a restrictive environment. As usual, the brief covers issues related to elections and civil and political rights in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar and Hong Kong in the past month. Download here: Monthly Brief on Countries under Restrictive Environment - Series #3 (June
Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in trial on 21 and 22 June. One of her lawyers said that there is no evidence to support the charges against her and he added that the defendant is “not guilty of any of these accusations''. The court will issue an interim order
Nearly five months after the coup, the junta has begun the trial of the leaders of NLD. Ousted State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in a special court in Naypyitaw on 14 June to hear three cases for possession of illegally imported walkie-talkies, violations of the Telecommunications Law and Natural Disaster
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is hosting a webinar about inclusive political dialogue for a new Myanmar on 22 June 2021, at 5:30 p.m. (Bangkok time). From the protest actions in different parts of the country, the people of Myanmar are trying to regain freedom through their continuous resistance. Several
As the situation in Myanmar becomes more violent, the international community needs to intervene and help restore democracy in the country or things will get worse, ANFREL program officer Tharindu Abeyrathna said in a new online show GNDEM Talk hosted by Ukraine-based group Civil Network OPORA. The show puts a spotlight on
Myanmar’s ousted State Councilor, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi faced her second in-person court hearing on 7 June in Naypyitaw that court announced the charges filed against her will finish within 180 days. Media also reported on Thursday the junta charged her under the anti-corruption law, bringing to seven the number of
The National Unity Government (NUG) held its very first press conference on Friday 4 June. The junta shut down the internet between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m to disrupt that press conference being held by the parallel government. The NUG said that it will announce a national D-Day to fight the military
ANFREL started publishing the monthly brief on the countries under a restrictive environment in April 2021 to provide an insight into the human rights and democracy situation in these countries. In this issue, we will cover issues related to elections and civil and political rights in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar and Hong Kong.
The protests continued in different parts of Myanmar despite the crackdown by the junta. The clashes between the junta forces and the civil resistance fighters or Ethnic Armed Organizations also emerged in several places in Myanmar, such as in Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Shan, Sagaing and Yangon States/Regions. The Karen Peace Support
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) released the final comprehensive report of its international election observation mission to the 2020 Myanmar general elections and said “it is its informed opinion that the results of the 2020 general elections were, by and large, representative of the will of the people of Myanmar”.
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) hosted a session in the 2021 Gwangju Democracy Forum about “Democracy under Restrictive Environment” on 19 May 2021. The session discussed the state of democracy, challenges and threats in the Asian countries that saw democratic regression in Hong Kong, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. Panelists of
