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WORLD NEWS Thursday 28 april 2022

Myanmar court sentences Suu Kyi to 5 years for corruption

By GRANT PECK tance Association for Politi-
BANGKOK (AP) — A court cal Prisoners.
in military-ruled Myanmar As repression escalated,
convicted former leader armed resistance against
Aung San Suu Kyi of corrup- the military government
tion and sentenced her to grew, and some U.N. ex-
five years in prison Wednes- perts now characterize the
day in the first of several country as being in a state
corruption cases against of civil war.
her. Suu Kyi has not been seen
Suu Kyi, 76, who was ousted or allowed to speak in pub-
by an army takeover last lic since she was detained
year, has denied the alle- and is being held in an un-
gation that she accepted disclosed location. How-
gold and hundreds of thou- ever, at last week's final
sands of dollars in a bribe hearing in the case, she
from a top political col- appeared to be in good
league. health and asked her sup-
Her supporters and inde- porters to "stay united,"
pendent legal experts said a legal official familiar
consider Suu Kyi's prosecu- with the proceedings who
tion an unjust attempt to asked not to be identified
discredit her and legiti- because he was not autho-
mize the military's seizure of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi participates in the ASEAN-Japan summit in Nonthaburi, Thai- rized to release information.
power while preventing her land on Nov. 4, 2019. In earlier cases, Suu Kyi was
from returning to an active Associated Press sentenced to six years' im-
role in politics. prisonment on charges of
The daughter of Aung San, rights violations — most no- man Farhan Haq said. haven't lost hope. They are illegally importing and pos-
Myanmar's founding father, tably a 2017 crackdown The U.N. chief also repeat- still standing up against the sessing walkie-talkies, vio-
Suu Kyi became a public on Rohingya Muslims that ed his call for an immedi- military." lating coronavirus restric-
figure in 1988 during a failed rights groups have labeled ate end to violence and Suu Kyi's trial in the capital, tions and sedition.
uprising against a previous genocide. While she has repression in Myanmar and Naypyitaw, was closed to In the case decided
military government when disputed allegations that for respect for the Univer- the media, diplomats and Wednesday, she was ac-
she helped found the Na- army personnel killed Ro- sal Declaration of Human spectators, and her lawyers cused of receiving $600,000
tional League for Democ- hingya civilians, torched Rights, "which enshrines the were barred from speaking and seven gold bars in
racy party. She spent 15 houses and raped women principles of equality be- to the media. The evening 2017-18 from Phyo Min
of the next 21 years under and she remains immense- fore the law, the presump- newscast on state televi- Thein, the former chief min-
house arrest for leading a ly popular at home, that tion of innocence, the right sion confirmed the sen- ister of Yangon, the coun-
nonviolent struggle for de- stance has tarnished her to a fair and public hearing tence. try's biggest city, and a se-
mocracy that earned her reputation abroad. by an independent and Following the victory of Suu nior member of her political
the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. She has already been sen- impartial tribunal, and all Kyi's party in the 2020 gen- party. Her lawyers, before
When the army allowed an tenced to six years' impris- the guarantees necessary eral election, lawmakers they were served with gag
election in 2015, her party onment in other cases and for a person's defense," were not allowed to take orders late last year, said
won a landslide victory and faces 10 more corruption Haq said. their seats when the army she rejected all his testimo-
she became the de facto charges. The maximum "These are trumped-up seized power on Feb. 1, ny against her as "absurd."
head of state. Her party punishment under the Anti- charges, politically moti- 2021, arresting Suu Kyi and The nine other cases cur-
won a greater majority in Corruption Act is 15 years in vated, to keep her inside many senior colleagues in rently being tried under the
the 2020 polls. prison and a fine for each prison for such a long time her party and government. Anti-Corruption Act include
Suu Kyi is widely revered charge. Convictions in the and also are designed to The army said it acted be- several related to the pur-
at home for her role in the other cases could bring keep her away from the cause there had been chase and rental of a heli-
country's pro-democracy sentences of more than political limelight," said Wai massive electoral fraud, copter by one of her former
movement — and was 100 years in prison in total. Hnin Pwint Thon, a Geneva- but independent election Cabinet ministers.
long viewed abroad as an U.N. Secretary-General An- based activist with the pro- observers didn't find any Suu Kyi is also charged with
icon of that struggle, epito- tonio Guterres reiterated his democracy group Burma major irregularities. diverting money meant
mized by her years under appeal Tuesday for Myan- Campaign UK. "And I'm sure The takeover was met with as charitable donations
house arrest. mar's military to release all the military is also thinking, large nonviolent protests to build a residence, and
But she also has been political prisoners including by sentencing her, they are nationwide which security with misusing her position to
heavily criticized for show- Suu Kyi and his condemna- grabbing the hope away forces quashed with lethal obtain rental properties at
ing deference to the mili- tion of the military takeover from people but, in reality, force, killing almost 1,800 lower-than-market prices
tary while ignoring and, of the country on Feb. 1, it's doing completely the civilians, according to a for a foundation named af-
at times, even defending 2021, U.N. deputy spokes- opposite because people watchdog group, the Assis- ter her mother. q