Myanmar: Court case against Aung Suu Kyi to begin next week

Deepali Kalia

The deposed leader, Aung Suu Kyi’s lawyer stated that Myanmar’s military junta will start presenting its case against her in Court from 14th June.

Upon overthrowing Suu Kyi’s elected government, the military had arrested her in February.

Suu Kyi has many charges leveled against her. She and ousted President Win Myint and former Naypyitaw Mayor Myo Aung have been charged with spreading information which could cause public alarm and lead to unrest.

The deposed leader faces 2 counts of contravening Natural Disaster Management Law for allegedly flouting COVID 19 pandemic restriction during her 2020 election campaign, for also illegally importing walkie-talkies that were for her bodyguards’ use and for unlicensed use of the radios.

The most serious charge though leveled against her is the sixth charge of that of violating the colonial-era Official Secrets Act that carries a punishment of imprisonment for 14 years. The following charge has been filed separately in a Court in Yangon and was recently transferred to the Union Supreme Court in Naypyitaw.

Supporters of the deposed leader claim that the charges leveled against her are meant to discredit her and are clearly politically motivated in order to legitimize the military take over.

If Suu Kyi is convicted of any of the offences then she would be barred from running in the elections promised by the Junta in one or two years since the takeover.

Government prosecutors will have to finish presenting their case in Court in Naypyitaw, where Suu Kyi is being tried on 5 charges till June 28 and her defense team on the other hand can make their case till July 26.

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