**Myanmar Court Sentences Activists to Up to 37 Years for Election Boycott Protest**
**Mandalay, Myanmar** – A Myanmar court has sentenced nine activists to lengthy prison terms, with sentences reaching up to 37 years, following their involvement in a protest that called for a boycott of the country’s recent elections. The sentences were handed down on July 29, 2026, by two courts in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, according to reports from the Anti-Junta Forces Coordination Committee-Mandalay.
The protest took place on December 4, 2025, just a day before the elections were scheduled to begin. The activists, including well-known figure Htet Myat Aung, were arrested for their participation in a flash protest that urged citizens to abstain from voting in the elections, which were set to occur between December 25, 2025, and January 25, 2026. The demonstrators also called for the rejection of mandatory military conscription and demanded the release of political prisoners who had been detained since the military coup that ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021.
The sentences were imposed under Myanmar's electoral law and counterterrorism law, with eight of the activists receiving the maximum sentence of 37 years. A ninth activist was sentenced to 27 years, also under the counterterrorism law. May Hnin, a spokesperson for the activist group, expressed concern that the military government is using these sentences to instill fear among the public and maintain its grip on power.
“These sentences are proof that a government that came to power through a sham election can never establish a federal democratic system,” May Hnin stated. She indicated that the activists do not plan to appeal the verdicts, as they believe the judicial process will not yield a favorable outcome.
The military-backed government has not issued any public comments regarding the sentences. The recent legal actions against the activists come in the wake of a controversial law enacted in July 2025, which prohibits any activities deemed to undermine the electoral process. This law carries severe penalties, including the possibility of the death penalty for violations. Since its implementation, over 200 individuals have reportedly faced charges under this legislation in the lead-up to the December elections.
The elections themselves have been widely criticized by opponents and independent observers, who argue that they were neither free nor fair. Major opposition parties were excluded from participating, and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party emerged with a significant majority. The legitimacy of the elections has been called into question, further complicating the political landscape in Myanmar.
As the military regime continues to face resistance from various groups within the country, the situation remains tense. The harsh sentences against the activists serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for democracy and human rights in Myanmar, as the military government seeks to suppress dissent and maintain control amid widespread discontent.