UN decries Myanmar junta's ‘politically-motivated’ Aung San Suu Kyi arrest
Suu Kyi, 76, has been serving jail since the military generals ousted her government in the early hours of the coup on February 1, ending Myanmar’s brief democratic interlude.
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FollowThe United Nations human rights chief on Monday slammed the Myanmar junta over the conviction and sentencing of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to four years in prison and demanded her release. “The conviction of the State Counsellor following a sham trial in secretive proceedings before a military-controlled court is nothing but politically-motivated,” Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.
The conviction of Suu Kyi “closes another door to political dialogue” in Myanmar, where the military took power on Feb. 1, and “will only deepen rejection of the coup,” she said in a statement issued by her Geneva office.
Earlier, a Myanmar court sentenced ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to jail for inciting dissent against the military and breaching Covid-19 rules. Zaw Min Tun, junta spokesman for the ruling junta said, Suu Kyi “was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment under section 505(b) and two-years’ imprisonment under natural disaster law.”
He added that former president Win Myint was also jailed for four years under the same charges and that they would not yet be taken to prison. “They will face other charges from the places where they are staying now” in the capital Naypyidaw, he added, without giving further details.
Also read:Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel prize winner who is back in jail today
Suu Kyi, 76, has been serving jail since the military generals ousted her government in the early hours of the coup on February 1, ending Myanmar’s brief democratic interlude.
The Nobel laureate has been booked under a slew of other indictments, including violating the official secrets act, corruption and electoral fraud. She will face decades of jail term if convicted on all counts.
More than 1,300 people have been killed and over 10,000 arrested in a crackdown on dissent since the coup, according to a local monitoring group, Reuters reported. Aung San Suu Kyi was barred from the presidency because her late husband and children have foreign citizenship. After her party won the country’s first election, she was appointed to a new role – state counsellor – and served in that position as the country’s de facto leader before the generals grabbed power.
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