Wed Jul 30 16:03:55 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text followed by a news article rewrite:

**Summary:**

Myanmar’s military junta has enacted a new law threatening prison sentences for anyone who criticizes, protests, or obstructs their planned election. The law aims to stifle dissent and opposition to the election, which is widely seen as a ploy to legitimize the junta’s rule following the 2021 coup. The law prescribes harsh penalties, including the death penalty in cases where someone is killed during an attempt to disrupt the election. Opposition groups, international monitors, and a UN expert have condemned the planned election and called for it to be rejected. Significant portions of the country are outside the junta’s control, and security constraints have hampered census efforts, raising concerns about the validity of the election.

**News Article:**

**Myanmar Junta Imposes Draconian Law to Silence Election Critics**

**Yangon, Myanmar – July 30, 2025** – Myanmar’s military junta has enacted a controversial new law threatening lengthy prison sentences, even death, for anyone found criticizing, protesting, or disrupting their upcoming election. The legislation, dubbed the “Law on the Protection of Multiparty Democratic Elections from Obstruction, Disruption and Destruction,” criminalizes a wide range of activities, including speech, organizing protests, and distributing leaflets deemed to undermine the electoral process.

The junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup, has positioned the election as a path to peace and stability, however, critics argue it is a thinly veiled attempt to legitimize its rule. The law prescribes penalties ranging from three to twenty years for various offenses, with the death penalty for those involved in any disruption that results in a fatality.

“This is a blatant attempt to silence dissent and suppress any opposition to a sham election,” said a spokesperson for the National Unity Government, a shadow government formed by ousted lawmakers. “The junta is using fear and intimidation to maintain its grip on power.”

International condemnation has been swift. A UN expert, Tom Andrews, has called on the international community to reject the election as a fraud. “The junta is attempting to create a mirage of a legitimate civilian government,” Andrews stated last month.

Significant portions of Myanmar remain outside the junta’s control, and widespread conflict continues between the military and various armed groups. Census data collection has been severely hampered by security concerns, with an estimated 19 million people uncounted. Analysts predict that anti-coup guerrillas and ethnic armed groups may stage offensives in the lead-up to the vote as a sign of their opposition. The validity of the election, and any resulting government, remains deeply in question.

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