Myanmar court hands down four-year imprisonment to Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi is facing 11 charges, each carrying a maximum penalty of 102 years in prison.
The first verdict in the trial of Myanmar’s former leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who was overthrown by the military in a coup in February this year, has been announced by a court.
She has been sentenced to four-year imprisonment on charges of incitement and violating COVID-19 rules.
Aung San Suu Kyi is accused of corruption, violations of national security laws
Aung San Suu Kyi is charged with a total of 11 offenses, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 102 years in jail.
She is accused of corruption, violating national security laws, illegally importing walkie-talkies, and violating COVID-19 restrictions for the 2020 elections, among other things.
Today, Aung San Suu Kyi was hearing the judgments on two of the accusations she is facing. The judge’s ruling was supposed to be released last week, but it was postponed.
Myanmar’s overthrown president will also hear the outcome of accusations on him.
Undeclared but media is barred in the courtroom
Journalists are not permitted to enter the courtroom. The media has been barred from the trial in the capital, Naypyitaw, and the public information channels of junta (Myanmar’s ‘care-taker’ military government) have made no mention of it.
Suu Kyi’s attorneys are not allowed to communicate with the media or the general public.
Suu Kyi denies all the charges against her
Suu Kyi and co-defendant Win Myint, the former president, however, dispute the allegations.
Suu Kyi’s supporters claim the charges are unfounded and are intended to put an end to her political career by tying her up in judicial processes while the military consolidates control.
Suu Kyi treated fairly by an impartial court, says Myanmar junta
The junta, on the other hand, claims that Suu Kyi is treated fairly by an impartial court presided over by a judge nominated by her own government.
Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s military ruler, was named Prime Minister of the ‘caretaker’ administration, according to state media, six months after the Army took control from a civilian government.
Care-taker administration to hold elections by 2023
Gen. Min Aung Hlaing reiterated his commitment to hold elections by 2023 in an address on August 1, and said his administration was ready to engage with a future regional envoy on Myanmar. The statement came exactly six months after the Army overthrew a civilian administration on February 1, as it deemed the elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s ruling party as illegitimate.
It is pertinent to mention here that Myanmar has been in chaos since the military coup, paralyzed by demonstrations and unrest sparked by the junta’s violent campaign on its opponents, which are termed as “terrorists” by it.
The violence has been criticized by the international world, and Western powers have been demanding Suu Kyi’s release.
