Myanmar courts sentence activists up to 37 years over election boycott protest
Summary
Courts in Myanmar sentenced nine activists to long prison terms for protesting against the December elections. The activists called for a boycott of the election and opposed the military government that took power in 2021.Key Facts
- Nine activists were sentenced to prison terms up to 37 years in Mandalay, Myanmar.
- Eight activists received 37-year sentences, one received 27 years.
- Convictions were made under Myanmar’s electoral law and counterterrorism law.
- The activists protested against the December 2023 election by urging a boycott, opposing military conscription, and demanding the release of political prisoners.
- The military-backed government has not commented on the sentences publicly.
- The election law threatens punishments up to the death penalty for disrupting elections.
- The December election was won by the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, but many said it was unfair as major opposition parties were excluded.
- Since the military takeover in 2021, over 31,000 people have been arrested and more than 14,000 remain detained, according to an independent group monitoring political prisoners.
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