The government enacted limited political and economic reforms, but human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law in ethnic minority areas increased during the year. Some of these amounted to crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Forced displacement reached its highest level in a decade, and reports of forced labour their highest level in several years.
Authorities maintained restrictions on freedom of religion and belief, and perpetrators of human rights violations went unpunished.
Despite releasing at least 313 political prisoners during the year, authorities continued to arrest such people, further violating their rights by subjecting them to ill-treatment and poor prison conditions.