Aung San Suu Kyi Sentenced To 4 Years In Prison; Amnesty Terms Charges ‘Bogus’

Yangon: Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to four years in prison.

The court found her guilty of inciting dissent and breaking COVID-19 rules under the country’s natural disasters law.

The 76-year-old Suu Kyi faces as many as 11 charges, including multiple counts of corruption and violating official secrets act. She has denied all these charges, which have been widely condemned as unjust, BBC News reported.

Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since February, when a military coup toppled the elected civilian government that she headed.

Though it was not immediately clear if Suu Kyi will be shifted to prison, she could ultimately spend the rest of her life in jail if she is convicted in the other cases, or even some of them.

Former President and co-defendant Win Myint was also sentenced to four-year jail term on same charges.

International human rights group Amnesty International termed the charges “bogus”.

“This is the latest example of the military’s determination to eliminate all opposition and suffocate freedoms in Myanmar,” Amnesty said.

Suu Kyi’s next court appearance is due on December 14, when she will face charges of possessing illegal walkie-talkies.

Her lawyers are the sole source of information on legal proceedings, but have been served with gag orders by the ruling dispensation.