The special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar yesterday told one of the United Nations highest-level bodies that she is not convinced the coming election will be free and fair.

Yanghee Lee criticised the candidate scrutiny process for being non-transparent and for seemingly arbitrarily disqualifying dozens of contenders. She also called attention to the hundreds of thousands of people – largely members of a Muslim minority – who have been excluded from voting on November 8.

In February, the government rescinded temporary identity cards, which have mostly been issued to Muslim Rohingya, who are officially known as Bengalis. White-card holders were allowed to vote in the 2010 election, but the government intervened after parliament voted to allow them to cast ballots in a planned constitutional referendum.

“Given its disproportionate impact on minority communities, in particular the Rohingya, this decision is discriminatory,” she told a committee of the UN General Assembly on October 28.

“The cancellation of voting rights without due process runs counter to international human rights standards and good practice.”

Ms Lee said she was “concerned” about the disqualification of a reported 61 candidates, the majority being Muslims, on grounds related to their citizenship or the citizenship of their parents. While 11 candidates were reinstated, many remained disqualified. “Disqualifications should not have a discriminatory effect which would be inconsistent with international law,” she said.

She added that elections cannot be free and fair if the freedoms of expression, assembly and association are curtailed, and then listed incidents when such rights have recently been restricted.

Ms Lee was also critical of the advanced voting system – particularly that it will not be open to observers.

“This goes against the assurances given to me by the chair of the Union Election Commission,” she said.

According to Reuters, Myanmar’s ambassador to the UN, U Kyaw Tin, rejected Ms Lee’s report as inaccurate, distorted and misleading. “This historic election should not be prejudged by inciting some minor challenges,” he was quoted as saying. “Myanmar is doing its best with full commitment to make it free, fair and transparent.”