On February 1, the military announced the results of the 2020 general election to be invalid due to widespread "electoral fraud" and deposed the elected members of the country's ruling party, the National League for Democracy. State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi was detained, along with several other high-ranking officials.

Aung San Suu Kyi was initially sentenced to four years in prison on charges of incitement, the first of many, but later saw her punishment reduced to two years. An escalation in hostilities between different factions resulted in the large displacement of the country's people.