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Senior General Min Aung Hlaing

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing

Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar Armed Forces, Coup Leader

Appears in 2 stories

Notable Quotes

"The military will lead the country back to democracy" — Statement after 2021 coup, promising elections within two years

"The people's vote is the recognition we need. The Myanmar people are voting, not outsiders. Therefore, we don't really care if the international community recognizes the election" — Response to international criticism, January 26, 2026

Stories

Myanmar's sham election under military rule

Force in Play

De facto ruler of Myanmar, facing ICC arrest warrant

Myanmar's military junta completed its three-phase election on January 25, 2026, with the army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party winning nearly 90% of contested seats—a predetermined outcome that fools no one. Combined with 166 seats constitutionally reserved for the military, the bloc controls just under 400 seats, well above the 294 needed to form a government. The junta announced parliament will convene in March and a new government will take office in April, completing the theatrical transformation of coup leaders into 'elected' officials. ASEAN explicitly refused to recognize the results—the first time the regional bloc formally rejected a member state's election—while the EU, UK, and UN condemned the exercise as illegitimate.

Updated Jan 27

The Gambia v. Myanmar: world's first genocide case in a decade goes to trial

Rule Changes

Facing ICC arrest warrant application; subject of Argentine arrest warrant

The Gambia—population 2.5 million, no direct ties to Myanmar—is prosecuting one of history's most ambitious genocide cases. On January 12, 2026, the International Court of Justice opened three weeks of hearings on whether Myanmar's military deliberately tried to destroy the Rohingya people. The Gambia's legal team, led by Justice Minister Dawda Jallow and British barrister Philippe Sands, told judges 'the only reasonable conclusion is that a genocidal intent permeated Myanmar's state-led actions.' Myanmar called the allegations 'flawed and unfounded.' It's the first full genocide trial at the world court since Serbia was held accountable for Srebrenica in 2007.

Updated Jan 14