New charge against Myanmar’s ousted leader allows indefinite detention
Police in Myanmar have filed a new charge against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer said, which may allow her to be held indefinitely without trial.
Lawyerkhinmaungzawtold reporters after meeting with a judge in the capital Naypyitaw that Ms Suu Kyi has been charged with violating Article 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law, which has been used to prosecute people who have broken coronavirus restrictions.
Ms Suu Kyi, who was ousted in a military coup on February 1,hasalreadybeenchargedwith possessing walkie-talkies that were imported without being registered.
The maximum punishment for the Covid-19 violation is three years' imprisonment.
However,thenewchargemay allowhertobeheldindefinitely without trial because a change in the Penal Code instituted by the junta last week permits detention without court permission. Ousted President Win Myint was charged under the same law when he and Ms Suu Kyi were detained during the army's takeover.
Ms Suu Kyi held the top government post with the title of state counsellor.
Groups of demonstrators turned out in Yangon and other cities on Tuesday to protest over the coup and demand that
Mssuukyiandmembersofher ousted government be freed from detention.
In Yangon, police blocked off the street in front of the Central Bank,whichprotestershavetargeted amid speculation online that the military is seeking to seize money from them.
Buddhistmonksdemonstrated outside the UN'S local office.
The protests are taking place in defiance of an order banning gatherings of five or more people. Around 3,000 demonstrators-mainlystudents-returned to the streets in Mandalay, the country's second biggest city, carrying posters of Ms Suu Kyi and shouting for the return of democracy.
Security presence was lowkey around the march, with mostpoliceguardingkeybuildings in the city, such as state bank branches.
On Monday in Mandalay, soldiers and police violently broke up a gathering of more than 1,000 protesters in front of the Myanmar Economic Bank.
They attacked the protesters with catapults and sticks, and police could be seen aiming long guns into the air amid soundsthatresembledgunfire.
Local media reported rubber bullets were fired into the crowd and that a few people were injured.
The government ordered internetaccessblockedonsundayandmondaynightswithout giving a reason.
It has in the past few weeks imposed selective and ineffective blocks on social media platforms and prepared a draft internet law that would criminalise many online activities.
Thereisalsowidespreadspeculation that the government is installing a firewall system that canmonitororblockmostorall online activity.
State media were acknowledging the protest movement with indirect references.
The Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported about a meeting of the State Administration Council, the new top governing body, and quoted its chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, saying the authorities "are handling the ongoing problems with care".