GENEVA

The UN's Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) warned Wednesday that it is receiving a growing number of reports of serious international crimes committed in the lead-up to elections planned by the country's military authorities for Dec. 28.

"Conducting an election that is not free and fair, or which violates a country’s constitution, does not constitute a crime within the Mechanism’s mandate – which is limited to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide," Nicholas Koumjian, the head of the mechanism, said in a statement. "However, the Mechanism has received worrying reports of actions in the context of elections which may amount to persecution and spreading terror in a civilian population as crimes against humanity."

The military authorities enacted a law in July 2025 criminalizing criticism of the elections, the IIMM said, with penalties of up to 20 years in prison and the death penalty. The mechanism said it has documented arrests of "numerous people, including children," for activities such as criticizing the elections online or distributing anti-election leaflets.

The IIMM is collecting evidence regarding arrests "without a legal basis or without due process of law, and the resulting detentions," it noted. It is also investigating reports of increased airstrikes on civilian villages as the military attempts to regain territory from armed groups and expand areas where polling could be held.

"I want to make it clear to all parties that targeting civilians is a violation of the laws of war," Koumjian said. "Indiscriminate airstrikes on areas where civilians are present, as well as attacks on anyone participating in the elections, such as political candidates and people involved in counting votes, may be considered war crimes or crimes against humanity. We are vigilantly collecting evidence of these crimes so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice," Koumjian added.