Myanmar: Ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi jailed for four years- Know why?

Myanmar News: The ousted leader of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to jail for four years by the country’s junta on December 6, 2021, for incitement against the military and for breaching the COVID-19 rules. This is the first of a series of possible sentences that can see Nobel laureate imprisoned for decades. The 76- years old Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained since the military ousted her government on February 1, 2021, ending Myanmar’s brief period of democracy.

As reported by AFP news agency, Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to two years for incitement against the military and another 2 years for breaching a natural disaster law related to Coronavirus. Former President of Myanmar Win Myint has also been jailed for four years, but they will not yet be taken to prison.

The court on December 6 delivered its first verdict against the Civilian leaders who were detained by a military coup on February 1, 2021.

Myanmar court jails ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi for four years for inciting dissent against the military and breaching Covid rules: AFP News Agency

(File photo) pic.twitter.com/UGcMVvNg83

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2021

What are charges against Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi?

Aung San Suu Kyi, the former State Counsellor of Myanmar, faces a dozen cases including multiple corruption charges in addition to the violations of the state secrets act, COVID-19 regulations, and a telecoms law which carry the combined maximum sentences of more than a century in prison.

The supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi are claiming the cases to be baseless and that they are designed to end her political career and to tie her up in legal proceedings while the military in Myanmar consolidates power.

Is Suu Kyi being given due process?

According to Myanmar Court, Suu Kyi is being given due process by an independent court which is led by a judge appointed by her own administration. However, the international community has condemned the ongoing violence in the country and has also been demanding Suu Kyi’s release.

The trial of Suu Kyi which is happening in Capital Naypyitaw has also been closed to the media and the public information outlets of the Myanmar junta have not mentioned the proceedings. Suu Kyi’s lawyers have also been barred from communicating with the media and the public.

Aung San Suu Kyi and her history of facing detention

Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi has a long history of being a political prisoner. She rose to prominence in 1988 and became the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar. She formed NLD with the help of several retired army officials who criticized the previous military junta in Myanmar.

In the elections held in 1990, NLD won 81% of seats in the Parliament, however, the results were nullified as the military government in the country effused to hand over power to NLD.

Suu Kyi was detained before the elections and had remained under house arrest from 1989 to 2010, for almost 15 of the 21 years. She also became one of the most prominent political prisoners in the world.

Political crisis in Myanmar

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military took control of a democratically elected government in the country on February 1, 2021, and detained State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi and several other civilian leaders.

The country has since been paralyzed with protests and the military junta’s deadly crackdown on its opponents, which it calls terrorists. The violence in the country has led to more instability.

The crisis in the country had happened in the wake of rising conflict between the government and the military. The military officials had claimed massive fraud in democratic elections which were held in November 2020.

The November elections in Myanmar were the only second democratic vote that had taken place in the country ever since it emerged from 50 years of military rule in 2011.