More charges laid on Suu Kyi after bloodiest day of Myanmar protests

Two new charges were levelled against Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar on Monday, a month after she was ousted from her position at the top of the government and put under house arrest after a coup.

Myanmar has seen regular demonstrations since the coup. At least 18 people are believed to have died on Sunday - with more than 30 injured - which would make it the bloodiest day since the coup to date.

During her second court hearing via videoconference, former dissident Suu Kyi was charged with violating section 505b of the criminal code, which makes it illegal to issue “any statement, rumour or report” likely to induce members of the public to “commit an offence against the state,” according to news portal Myanmar Now.

The second charge regarded violation of the telecommunications law for possession of devices for which a license is needed.

This brings the total number of charges against Suu Kyi to four.

She had previously been charged with breaches of the country’s emergency management law, in connection with the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, and with a violation of import and export laws for possession of walkie talkies.

Observers believe the main goal of the charges is to keep Suu Kyi off the political stage.

Min Min Soe, an attorney of Suu Kyi’s defence team who attended the videoconference, said she was in good health. “She said at the hearing that she wanted to meet with her lawyer. The judge told her that he is working on it,” Min Min Soe told Myanmar Now.
Bangkok (dpa), 1 March, 2021