Category World News

After Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in South Korea on December 3, 2024, citing rising unrest and an alleged threat to national security, the country experienced a political crisis.

Troops were deployed, Yoon ordered the detention of opposition lawmakers, and key state institutions, including the National Assembly, were placed under military command. Although journalists continued to report in defiance of the restrictions, and citizens mobilized to demand that the decree be lifted, there were also restrictions on press freedoms.

As lawmakers voted against the decree, the move sparked widespread demonstrations, and Yoon was forced to withdraw it after just six hours.

The Supreme Court declared the brief martial law constitutional within a few days. Weeks later, the president was impeached and removed from office, ending an extraordinary moment in South Korea’s democratic history.

Yoon apologized in public later for what he described as “anxiety and inconvenience.”

The story often unfolds very differently elsewhere, though.

Several countries remain under martial law or effective military rule, with wide-ranging implications for civil liberties, political opposition and daily life.

What does the current state of martial law mean for those who live under it, then?

Martial law: What is it?

Martial law is an emergency system of governance in which the military assumes authority over some or all civilian functions.

This may include restrictions on the media’s access to assembly, curfews and movement restrictions, military trials for civilians, expanded arrest and detention powers, and more.

It occasionally includes the substitution of civilian buildings with military administrators.

Governments usually justify martial law on grounds of war, mass unrest, armed rebellion or a threat to national stability. However, rights organizations warn that it frequently impedes democratic processes by consolidating power or stifling dissent.

Which nations are currently governed by some sort of military?

Ukraine

Ukraine has been under nationwide, self-described martial law since February 24, 2022 – the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country. However, Ukraine is governed by a civilian administration, in contrast to how martial law is typically understood.

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s vice president for research and strategy, Vina Nadjibulla, described Ukraine as a “state of emergency, where governments formally establish special powers, such as curfews, bans on gatherings, or expanded policing, but within a constitutional framework that maintains civilian institutions, including parliament and the judiciary, in charge.”

Nevertheless, under the marshall law decree, &nbsp, the Ukrainian has granted extended powers to the armed forces, banned men of fighting age – typically those age 18 to 60 – from leaving the country, and restricted political activity deemed harmful to the war effort.

Additionally, media outlets must adhere to regulations intended to safeguard national security, and public gatherings also need approval. These include outlawing video of missile launches and outlawing the publication of reports on air defense systems.

The restrictions are broadly accepted by much of the population, but they have raised questions about political accountability and transparency in the country, especially as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government faces growing accusations of corruption.

Some critics, including US President Donald Trump, claim that the country needs new elections because of the martial law’s ability to effectively eliminate political challenges for Zelenskyy.

Former leader of the largest opposition party, Petro Poroshenko, claimed earlier this year that Zelenskyy was using the restrictions to increase his influence even though martial law was required.

“I want to stress that we should recognise the obvious – the government has started to abuse martial law, using it not only to defend the country, but to build an authoritarian regime”, Poroshenko said during parliamentary debates in April.

Myanmar

In a coup d’electure in February 2021, the army of Myanmar oversaw Aung San Suu Kyi’s government. In addition to granting commanders sweeping authority to detain and try and execute civilians in military courts, the military government has since declared martial law in dozens of townships, particularly in major cities like Yangon, Mandalay, and conflict-hit ethnic regions.

The military’s campaign against anti-coup resistance has plunged parts of the country into full-scale civil war. In martial-law zones, there have been reports of widespread arrests and online blackouts.

According to Nadjibulla, “military commanders have taken over local administration, civilian courts have been sidelined, and open criticism of the regime or its proposed elections can lead to harsh punishment,” describing Myanmar as the “clearest example of marshall law] in the Asia-Pacific.

Rights groups, including Amnesty International, say that more than 6, 000 people have been killed and tens of thousands detained since the coup. Checkpoints, curfews, and the constant threat of raids or air strikes are commonplace in many communities.

According to Amnesty International, the army has carried out “widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population nationwide,” bombing schools, hospitals, and religious buildings with complete impunity.

In late July, the military announced that it was lifting the state of emergency from some parts of the country, ahead of national elections that are scheduled to start on December 28.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent organization that keeps detailed logs of arrests, some 22, 689 political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, are still in detention as of December 2.

The end-of-year “military-controlled” elections, according to the UN, are unlikely to result in a democratic transition, leading to “insecurity, fear, and polarization throughout the country.” Major political parties are barred from contesting in the vote.

Thailand

Thailand is not subject to martial law throughout the country, but certain areas of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, which are both protected by long-standing emergency and security laws that grant the military additional authority, similar to martial law, remain.

As the government fights a long-running armed rebellion, these measures make sudden searches, broad arrest powers, and a significant military presence.

Thailand has recently also declared martial law in the border districts of Chanthaburi, Trat, and Sa Kaeo provinces following clashes with Cambodia.

According to Apichart Sapprasert, the commander of the Border Defence Command, a statement made in July, that the declaration was made to protect “national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the lives and property of Thai citizens.

Burkinabe

Burkinabe has been under military rule since the twin coups that the country witnessed in 2022, first in January, then again in September.

The country’s military leaders have full executive and legislative control since then, with restrictions on political parties and frequent curfews during security operations. The government has not yet declared nationwide martial law.

In light of the growing attacks by various armed groups, the military claims that its takeover was necessary to restore stability. But censorship, arrests of critics and limits on public assembly have tightened over the past year, according to rights groups.

The European Union and United Nations, among other bodies, have accused Burkinabe of serious human rights violations in its fight against armed groups, including the indiscriminate killings and forced disappearances of dozens of civilians, among them journalists and human rights defenders.

Guinea

In September 2021, the military seized power, quashing the constitution, and dissolving the parliament. Although martial law is not formally in place, the military government rules by decree.

Security forces have been accused of using lethal force against protesters in protest of a return to civilian rule after numerous demonstrations have been repeatedly interbroken.

The transition period has been repeatedly pushed back, and opposition figures have been subject to arrest warrants and travel bans.

In September, voters in&nbsp, Guinea&nbsp, overwhelmingly backed a new constitution that could allow coup leader Mamady Doumbouya to run for president if he chooses to.

The military government claimed the referendum opened the door for a return to civilian rule, despite the fact that critics called the outcomes a power grab. Later this month is when the presidential election is scheduled to take place.

A charter adopted after the coup barred members of the transitional government from seeking office.

Cellou Dalein Diallo and the country’s two main opposition figures, including ex-deposed president Alpha Conde, both demanded a referendum boycott.

Human Rights Watch has accused the government of dumping political opponents and arbitrarily suspending media outlets while their political parties are currently suspended.

Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau slipped under military control in late November 2025, after soldiers seized the election commission just as presidential results were due. The commission claimed that the count was unable to be completed because ballot papers, tally sheets, and even the data servers had been lost.

The army then dissolved civilian authority, imposed curfews, and imposed restrictions on protests and strikes, as Major-General Horta Inta-A was appointed as a transitional leader under a new “High Military Command.”

Guinea-Bissau’s new military authorities are facing growing pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore constitutional rule and allow the election process to resume.

Madagascar

Since 2009, when Andry Rajoelina, a former mayor supported by key army factions, seized power in a coup that sparked years of political unrest in Madagascar, the country has been living under some form of military-backed governance.

The military remains a significant political force, frequently intervening during times of tension or protest, despite the recent results of several elections.

That pattern resurfaced in October 2025, when weeks of youth-led demonstrations over corruption and economic frustration prompted the elite CAPSAT military unit to defect and take control of the capital.

The army removed President Rajoelina as soon as the government was in place and appointed CAPSAT commander Michael Randrianirina as its interim leader.

The military leadership established a Council of the Presidency for the Refoundation of Madagascar after the military leadership suspended the majority of their national political systems and the constitution.

Randrianirina’s military takeover has been condemned by the United Nations and by the African Union, which suspended Madagascar’s membership.

Do some nations favor Marshall law more than others?

Although both have civilian-run governments, Nadjibulla noted that the interim governments that came into power in Bangladesh and Nepal after their leaders were overthrown heavily rely on the military.

In Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August 2024 after a mass uprising against her rule that intensified following a bloody crackdown on protesters. The army has been very visible in the country since mid-2020 because the police and other security services were severely discredited during the unrest, according to Nadjibulla. The military serves as a crucial guarantor of order and the transition itself, according to the statement, “The interim authorities are primarily ruling through executive decrees while preparing elections.” Bangladesh is poised for fresh elections in February.

In response to youth-led protests, Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was forced to step down as prime minister in September 2025.

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, claims that he has revoked all of his predecessor’s pardons and commutations using an autopen.

On Tuesday evening, Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, “Any and all Documents, Proclamations, Executive Orders, Memorandums, or Contracts signed by the now infamous and unauthorised ‘Autopen,’ within the Administration of Joseph R. Biden Jr., are hereby null, void, and of no further force or effect.”

Anybody who receives “Pardons,” “Commutations,” or any other legal document signed, please be informed that the document has been completely and legally terminated and has no legal effect, he said.

However, legal experts contend that the president’s decision is unenforceable.

What documents did Biden sign with the autopen, who will be affected, and is Trump’s move legal?

What documents did Biden and his autopen sign?

Trump has argued on numerous occasions that Biden’s use of the autopen, a mechanical device that makes it possible to sign documents without holding a hand, was indicative of the former president’s physical and mental frailty.

According to the non-partisan Pew Research Center, Biden has issued a record 4,245 clemency acts in his four years in office, more than any other US president since the start of the 20th century.

The majority of these actions involved sentence reductions or commutations. Although he only issued 80 individual pardons, which was the second-lowest number over the same time period, he was more well-known for enacting “pardons by proclamation,” which affected a wide range of people.

According to the Pew Research Center, these included pardons by proclamation for former military personnel who had been found guilty of abusing a gay sex ban, which has since been overturned.

However, it is unclear how many and which pardons and commutations Biden’s orders were executed using an autopen.

Trump’s decision: legal or not?

Trump does not have the authority to revoke pardons or commutations, according to Bernadette Miller, a Stanford University expert on US and UK constitutional law.

This declaration is legally unenforceable. Any laws or pardons that Biden has authorized remain effective. An executive order, she said, “would be the only exception that an executive order can have until it is overturned by the same president or another president.”

Trump might revoke those orders, so presumably this statement would undo any such orders. However, laws and pardons are still effective.

A separate study from PolitiFact, a fact-checking website run by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, found that “there is no constitutional mechanism for overturning pardons, and an 1869 judicial ruling determined that a pardon is final.”

According to PolitiFact, the US Constitution does not require a pardon to be formally endorsed by hand.

Who might be impacted by Trump’s action?

Trump has previously argued that autopen signed a number of “preemptive” pardons that Biden gave US legislators as part of their investigation into the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

The Capitol was attacked by a mob of Trump supporters who claimed the 2020 election was a fraud and were trying to stop Biden from being elected president by Congress. Trump and his supporters have repeatedly failed to demonstrate widespread election fraud.

Republicans who opted to investigate Trump, such as ex-members of Congress Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, are seen by the US president and his allies as traitors of their movement.

Because they were issued by Autopen, Trump claimed on Truth Social in March that these legislators’ pardons were “VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT.”

Biden was the first to employ an autopen.

According to PolitiFact, Biden was not the only US president to rely on an autopen.

Similar devices have been around for the majority of American history, but autopens’s design has changed as technology has developed.

The third US president, Thomas Jefferson, used a technique known as a polygraph, which is a pair of pens rigged so that the second can imitate the first’s actions.

John F. Kennedy used a more contemporary version of the autopen in the early 1960s. Barack Obama has occasionally used autopens, more recently.