Myanmar Spring Chronicle – August 1 Perspective
(MoeMaKa, August 2, 2025)
63 Townships Placed Under Martial Law; Suspension of Three Sections of the “Safeguarding Personal Freedoms” Law
Under the directive of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military junta now rebranded as the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC), 63 townships across Myanmar were declared under martial law. Simultaneously, the junta announced the suspension of three sections of the Law on Safeguarding the Freedom and Security of Citizens, commonly referred to as the “personal freedom law.”
After the 2021 military coup, the State Administration Council (SAC)—formed based on the 2008 Constitution—had already declared martial law in dozens of townships. Now, under the newly rebranded NDSC, a new but nearly identical list of 63 townships has been issued under emergency rule.
Some townships on this new list overlap with the 2021 list, while others are newly added. For example, six Yangon townships previously under martial law were not included in the new list, while four townships from the Wa Self-Administered Division, which were not previously listed, have now been added.
Notably, Mongla Township, governed by the NDAA (National Democratic Alliance Army) since the early 1990s under a ceasefire agreement, is now included in the martial law list. This raises questions about whether long-standing arrangements between the military and semi-autonomous armed groups—like the Wa and Mongla authorities—are now shifting.
Also added is Hopang Township, which was handed over to the United Wa State Army (UWSA) after being seized by the MNDAA during Operation 1027. The inclusion of such townships under martial law, despite decades of self-administration, marks a significant departure from past practice.
Apart from these areas, the rest of the townships on the list are in territories controlled or contested by ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), the NUG, or local PDFs. Notably, Hakha Township in Chin State—previously under martial law—has been excluded from this new list.
Some speculate that martial law was declared in these 63 townships because elections cannot realistically be held there, but this contrasts with a statement from the Union Election Commission, which said elections would be held in 267 of the 330 townships. Subtracting those, the remaining 63 townships may be exactly those where elections are not feasible—and where martial law is now in effect.
In parallel, the junta’s rebranded NDSC also re-announced the suspension of Sections 5, 7, and 8 of the Law on Safeguarding Personal Freedoms. These articles, enacted during the NLD government, guarantee protections such as:
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Prohibition of detention beyond 24 hours without a court order
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Prohibition of warrantless searches and surveillance
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Restrictions on intercepting communications or accessing electronic data from telecom operators without legal process
These suspensions were first declared on February 13, 2021, shortly after the coup, when other repressive laws—such as Penal Code Section 505-A and amendments to Section 124—were also introduced. This latest declaration under the NDSC simply reaffirms those earlier suspensions under the junta’s new branding.
As the junta plans elections for late 2025, it appears increasingly likely they will attempt to retake urban centers or expand control over contested areas to ensure elections can proceed under their authority.
Compared to prior years, the junta now seems to be relying more on:
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A narrower military front,
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Conscription laws to replenish manpower,
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Drone and weapons technologies sourced from China and Russia,
to conduct more aggressive military campaigns ahead of the elections.