YANGON: Myanmar authorities announced Thursday the arrest of three artists for undermining the upcoming junta-organized election, wielding new speech laws that rights monitors say oppress dissent.
Myanmar’s military snatched power in a 2021 coup sparking a civil war, but is trumpeting elections scheduled to start in December as an opportunity for reconciliation.
Rebel groups have pledged to block the polls from their enclaves and numerous rights monitors have said voting cannot be free and fair under restrictions imposed in junta-controlled territory.
Three artists were arrested at their homes on Monday under legislation introduced this year punishing speech deemed damaging to the election with up to a decade in prison, state media said.
The Global New Light of Myanmar said the men — a director, an actor and a comedian — were detained “for making false and misleading criticism on social media” of other artists who produced a pro-election film.
The movie, aired on repeat on state TV, contains scenes with a village doctor urging opposition fighters to lay down their weapons and endorse the election — due to start in phases on December 28.
The newspaper said the three arrested men “failed to contribute their artistic expertise toward the success of the upcoming election.”
“Instead, they criticized and attacked other artists who were cooperating in the process,” it added.
Legislation introduced in July forbids “any speech, organizing, inciting, protesting or distributing leaflets in order to destroy a part of the electoral process.”
Individuals convicted face between three and seven years behind bars, while offenses committed by groups can result in sentences of between five and 10 years.
“The military junta has weaponized restrictive laws to crack down on dissent and curtail fundamental freedoms,” said a report last month by the Asian Network for Free Elections.
Analysts have described the elections as a fig leaf designed to conceal continuing military rule, while deposed democratic figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi remains jailed and her party has been dissolved.