CNN
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A military-run Myanmar court has sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi to seven years in prison for corruption, a source familiar with the case told CNN.
Friday’s verdict was the democratically elected representatives opposed to decades of military rule that led Myanmar for five years before being ousted from power in a violent coup in early 2021. It is the final punishment inflicted upon us.
Friday’s ruling found Suu Kyi guilty of corruption in connection with the purchase, repair and rental of helicopters for use in natural disasters and national affairs, including rescues and emergencies, sources said. rice field.
She now faces a total of 33 years in prison, including three years of hard labour, the sources said.
Sources said Suu Kyi had previously been convicted of multiple charges, including election fraud and accepting bribes.
Sources say she has denied all charges against her, and her lawyers say they were politically motivated.
She is being held in solitary confinement in a prison in the capital Nay Pyi Taw, her trial is being held behind closed doors, state media are reporting limited information, and her lawyer has been served with a dismissal order. .
Myanmar has suffered violence and economic paralysis since the military intervened to prevent Suu Kyi from forming a new government, three months after her party was re-elected in a landslide election against the military-backed opposition. has been torn apart by
Meanwhile, human rights groups have repeatedly expressed concern over the punishment of pro-democracy activists in the country since the military took power.
Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director at Human Rights Watch, said: “This conviction will permanently sideline[Ms.)underminesandultimatelynegatesthelandslidevictory.”inastatementonFriday.
“From start to finish, the junta has done everything it can to craft a case against her with complete confidence that the country’s kangaroo courts will return whatever punitive sentence the military desires. ”
Last week, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called on the military government to release all political prisoners, including Suu Kyi and former President Win Myint.
Freedoms and rights in Myanmar have deteriorated significantly in the two years since the military took power. State executions resumed, and thousands were arrested in protest against military rule.
In November, the military government released more than 6,000 prisoners on amnesty, including a former British ambassador, an Australian economist and a Japanese journalist, state media reported.
The amnesty came after strong criticism of the military regime at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
