Myanmar’s Suu Kyi sentenced to four years in jail: Reports

Monday’s ruling is first in a dozen cases Myanmar’s military has brought against Aung San Suu Kyi since February coup.

A court in Myanmar has sentenced the country’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to four years in jail, according to media reports.

A government spokesman told the AFP news agency on Monday that Aung San Suu Kyi received two years imprisonment for incitement and two years for violating COVID-19 rules.

Zaw Min Tun said former President Win Myint was also jailed for four years under the same charges.

He said the pair will not be taken to prison yet.

“They will face other charges from the places where they are staying now” in the capital Naypyidaw, he added, without giving further details.

Reuters and the Associated Press, citing sources familiar with the proceedings, also said Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint were sentenced to four years each.

Monday’s ruling is the first in a dozen cases Myanmar’s military has brought against Aung San Suu Kyi.

Other cases against the Nobel Peace Prize laureate include multiple charges of corruption, violations of a state secrets act, and a telecoms law that altogether carry a maximum sentence of more than a century in prison.

Aung San Suu Kyi, detained as the generals seized control of the country on February 1, denies all the charges.

Supporters of the 76-year-old leader say the cases are baseless and designed to end her political career and tie her up in legal proceedings while the military consolidates power.

Charles Santiago, a Malaysian legislator and chair of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), condemned the sentence, calling it a “travesty of justice”.

“Since the day of the coup, it’s been clear that the charges against Aung San Suu Kyi, and the dozens of other detained MPs, have been nothing more than an excuse by the junta to justify their illegal power grab,” he said, urging the  Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to “hold the line against this illegal takeover”.

The 10-member regional bloc has been spearheading diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar, and Santiago said Monday’s ruling demonstrates “the junta’s continuing contempt for ASEAN” and its peace plan, which includes initiating dialogue between the opposing sides in Myanmar.

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