Geneva, 11 August 2026 – Investigations by the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (Mechanism), as detailed in its Annual Report released today, show a pattern of deliberate aerial attacks on civilians, arbitrary detentions, torture and sexual violence committed by the Myanmar military. 

The Myanmar military escalated its aerial attacks and other crimes against civilians in the lead-up to the elections completed in January this year and these have continued unabated. 

“Behind every piece of evidence we collect are people whose lives have been devastated by these crimes,” said Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Mechanism. “Communities across Myanmar are not only living under the constant threat of violence but are also coping with the profound and lasting impact of what they have endured. This underscores the urgent need to hold those responsible to account.” 

Covering the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, the Report outlines the Mechanism’s investigations into aerial attacks targeting homes, schools, medical facilities, religious buildings and camps for internally displaced persons, causing deaths, injuries and destruction. The military’s increasing reliance on paramotors and drones has made attacks harder for civilians to detect, limiting their ability to flee or seek shelter. The Mechanism has identified some of the military units responsible for these attacks.  

The Mechanism has also collected and analysed extensive evidence of arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence in military-run detention facilities, including cases linked to the 2025 law criminalizing criticism of the elections. Numerous individuals have been arrested under the law and face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and the death penalty for activities such as posting critical comments on social media.  

While most of the evidence collected by the Mechanism concerns crimes committed by the Myanmar security forces and affiliated militias, it is also investigating alleged atrocities involving armed groups opposed to the military.  

The Mechanism’s investigations draw on evidence from more than 1,600 sources, including over 750 accounts from witnesses, as well as photographs, videos, audio material, documents, maps, geospatial imagery, social media posts and forensic evidence. 

The Mechanism continues to share evidence and analysis with authorities pursuing accountability for crimes committed against the Rohingya, including at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and in Argentina, and has also responded to requests from other authorities investigating crimes committed since the 2021 military takeover.  

It has also provided extensive evidence and analysis to the parties in The Gambia v. Myanmar proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where the judges are deliberating whether Myanmar violated its obligations under the Genocide Convention during the 2016 and 2017 clearance operations against the Rohingya. 

The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM or Mechanism) was created by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2018 to collect and analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes and other violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011. It aims to facilitate justice and accountability by preserving and organizing this evidence and preparing analysis that can be used by authorities to prosecute individuals in national, regional and international courts. 

For more information, visit iimm.un.org or contact iimm@un.org.