In Myanmar, former government leader Aung Suu Kyi has been sentenced to four years in prison by the military junta. Aung Suu Kyi was ousted early this year after a military coup d’état in Myanmar.
It was carried out because, according to the army, election fraud had been committed. Aung Suu Kyi has been convicted, among other things, for not complying with the corona measures.
She was found guilty of inciting unrest and violating the corona measures during last year’s election campaign. She got two years for each of those charges. A spokesman reports this for the Myanmar junta. In total, she has been charged with at least eleven offences. If found guilty of everything, she could be sentenced to more than 100 years in prison.
“In total, there are eleven complaints. Together for 102 years in prison. Then she would actually receive life imprisonment since she is now in her seventies,” says correspondent Annelie Langerak from Thailand. “The court sessions are closed. The start of the trial was secret herself, also from her own lawyers. Media are not allowed.” said Langerak.
“The junta said she would get a fair trial, but the courts are under the control of the military,” Langerak said. The former head of government is not locked up in prison: “Her health is good. She is not in prison but at home under house arrest.”
According to Langerak, especially her popularity is a threat to the power of the army: “Of course she remains a major threat to the army, because of her enormous popularity. In the last election, she won so much more votes than the army’s candidates that the latter had to intervene urgently.”
Suu Kyi himself was discredited after the army cracked down on minorities in Myanmar. Suu Kyi did not condemn that violence. Nevertheless, in 1991, the politician was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.