A Burmese junta court yesterday sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi to five years in jail for corruption, part of a barrage of criminal cases that could see the deposed civilian leader jailed for decades.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been in military custody since a coup ousted her government in February last year and plunged Myanmar into turmoil.
In the latest case, the Nobel laureate was accused of accepting a bribe of US$600,000 in cash and gold bars.
Photo: Reuters
After two days of delays, the special court in the military-built capital, Naypyidaw, handed down its verdict and sentence at 9:30am.
“Regarding taking gold and dollars from U Phyo Min Thein, the court sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment,” junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told reporters. “She will be under house arrest. I do not know whether she asked for appeal. They are working according to the legal way. As far as I know, she’s in good health.”
Local media, citing unnamed sources close to the court, later reported that she plans to appeal the conviction.
Aung San Suu Kyi still faces a raft of other criminal charges, including contravening the official secrets act, corruption and electoral fraud, and could be jailed for more than 100 years if convicted on all counts.
The 76-year-old had been sentenced to six years in jail for incitement against the military, breaching COVID-19 rules and breaking a telecommunications law — although she will remain under house arrest while she fights other charges.
She has not appealed any of those convictions.
Journalists have been barred from attending the court hearings and Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyers have been banned from speaking to the media.
“The days of Aung San Suu Kyi as a free woman are effectively over,” Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson told reporters. “Destroying popular democracy in Myanmar also means getting rid of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the junta is leaving nothing to chance.”
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