Myanmar's Suu Kyi jailed for four years: Govt spokesperson

Agencies | Naypyidaw

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi received a four-year jail term on Monday on charges of incitement and violations of the law on natural disasters, a source familiar with the proceedings said.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said ousted President Win Myint got the same jail sentence in the first verdicts against the former leaders who were put on trial after the military seized power in a coup on February 1.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the coup against a democratically elected government. The country has been paralysed by protests, and the military junta's deadly crackdown on its opponents has led to more instability. 

Suu Kyi, 76, faces a dozen cases that include multiple corruption charges plus violations of state secrets, a telecoms law and Covid-19 regulations, which carry combined maximum sentences of more than a century in prison.

Suu Kyi and co-defendant Win Myint received jail terms of two years for incitement and the same term for breaches of coronavirus protocols. They had denied the charges.

Supporters of Suu Kyisay the cases are baseless and designed to end her political career and tie her up in legal proceedings while the military consolidates power.

The junta says Suu Kyi is being given due process by an independent court led by a judge appointed by her administration.

The international community has condemned the violence in Myanmar and Western states have demanded Suu Kyi's release. 

The trial in the capital Naypyitaw has been closed to the media and the junta's public information outlets have not mentioned the proceedings. Suu Kyi's lawyers have been barred from communicating with the media and public.