The leader deposed by a military coup in Myanmar, 76-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi, was sentenced on Monday (6) by a special court to four years in prison on charges of “inciting popular unrest” and violations of health regulations of the coronavirus pandemic, announced the military junta that governs the country.
This is the first verdict delivered to Aung San Suu Kyi since the military junta took power on February 1st. Critics describe the cases as “absurd”.
President Win Myint was also sentenced to four years in prison. The court announced on Monday the verdicts in several cases against civilian leaders arrested during the military coup.
The incitement charge against the ousted leader involves a statement published by her after the coup, in which she urges international organizations not to cooperate with the military junta. The other case alleges that she violated health regulations to control Covid-19 during her campaign for last year’s elections.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet criticized the trial in Myanmar, held behind closed doors and without access to observers, and demanded the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
“The conviction of the State Councilor after a fictitious trial in a secret case before a military-controlled court is nothing but politically motivated,” Bachelet said in a statement.
“The military is trying to instrumentalize the courts to eliminate all political opposition,” continues the high commissioner.
Bachelet also said that Myanmar’s army, known as Tatmadaw, had arrested more than 10,000 opponents since the coup and at least 175 people, including many from Suu Kyi’s party, had died in custody, “probably from torture or ill-treatment”.
Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, still faces other accusations of corruption and electoral fraud.
Military truck advances against protesters
Several people were injured after a military truck drove into a crowd protesting in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, on Sunday (5), the BBC reported.
Witnesses reported to local media that soldiers then opened fire on protesters. The army said it had arrested 11 people during the demonstration on Sunday and would not confirm whether a truck had entered the crowd, saying only that it had dispersed the “riot”.
Since the military coup in February, more than 1,200 people have been killed during protests in Myanmar.
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