Woe upon woe – Suu Kyi gets more jail time

A court in Myanmar has convicted ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on two more corruption charges. Her two three-year sentences will be served concurrently, though added to previous sentences that now leave her facing a 26-year prison term.

In February 2021, the military took over from Suu Kyi’s government. Her NLD party had won a landslide victory in elections, guaranteeing it a further five years in government. Suu Kyi was detained and has not been seen in public since.

Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, described the situation at the time as very disturbing. He said…

“What many have feared is indeed unfolding in Myanmar.”

In this latest case, she is accused of receiving money in 2019 and 2020 from Maung Weik, a tycoon and convicted drug trafficker. Under Aung San Suu Kyi’s government, Maung Weik won a major development project that included the construction of houses, restaurants, hospitals, economic zones, along with port and hotel zones in Myanmar’s central Mandalay region. State television last year showed a video showing Maung Weik claiming to have paid off government ministers to help his businesses.

It’s mostly corruption charges that the military has raised against Nobel laureate Suu Kyi. She has been charged with 12 counts in total, each subject to up to 15 years in prison and a fine. She is tried in closed sessions and her lawyers cannot speak publicly on anything concerning the matter

She is already serving 23 years for illegally importing and possessing communications equipment, violating coronavirus restrictions, breaching the official secrets act, sedition, election fraud and five corruption charges.

Her supporters say the charges are politically motivated to prevent her from taking part in the next election, promised for 2023.