Aung San Suu Kyi Gets 4 Years on Walkie-Talkie and Covid Charges - The New York Times

Myanmar’s ousted civilian leader was convicted on three more counts under Covid and telecommunications rules, which her defenders said were politically motivated.

Myanmar’s ousted civilian leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was convicted Monday and sentenced to four years in prison for possessing walkie-talkies in her home and for violating Covid-19 protocols.

Aung San Suu Kyi, 76, has been sentenced to a total of six years in prison so far, with many more charges pending against her.

Initially sentenced to four years on those charges, that sentence was cut in half by the army commander in chief, Senior Gen.

Amnesty International called the walkie-talkie charges trumped up, saying “they suggest the military is desperate for a pretext to embark on a witch-hunt and intimidate anyone who challenges them.”.

Aung San Suu Kyi faces at least seven more charges — including five counts of corruption — with a potential maximum sentence of 89 years if she were to be found guilty on all remaining charges.

Human Rights Watch said the military regime was making itself appear ridiculous by accumulating convictions on flimsy, politically motivated charges.

“The Myanmar junta’s courtroom circus of secret proceedings on bogus charges is all about steadily piling up more convictions against Aung San Suu Kyi so that she will remain in prison indefinitely,” said Phil Robertson, the group’s deputy Asia director.

A recent military coup.

Following a military coup on Feb.

Peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations have given way to insurgent uprisings against the Tatmadaw, the country’s military, which ousted the country’s civilian leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Internationally, her reputation has been tarnished by her recent cooperation with the same military generals who ousted her.

Aung San Suu Kyi faces years in prison.

Aung San Suu Kyi, to three years in prison for violating rules on police conduct by posting messages on Facebook that the court deemed inflammatory.

The former bodyguard was also accused of communicating with the National Unity Government, the shadow government formed after the coup by ousted elected officials and other opponents of the military.