Myanmar junta places further charges on detained leader
MYANMAR’S detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was presented with new charges of causing “fear and alarm” yesterday, in addition to previous accusations of illegally importing walkie talkies and violating the country’s natural disaster law.
The charges were delivered during a court hearing conducted via video link. It was the first time Ms Suu Kyi’s legal team had seen her in person since her arrest and they reported that she appeared to be in “good health”.
Khin Maung Zaw, her lawyer, said she had also been accused of a violation of communications laws.
“We cannot say for sure how many more cases Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will face in this period,” he told reporters in the capital, Naypyitaw. “Anything can happen in this country at this time.”
Ms Suu Kyi has been held in an undisclosed location since Feb 1 when the military seized power, arrested the leaders of the democratically elected government and said it would hold fresh elections in a year.
The initial charges carried sentences of up to three years and would disqualify Ms Suu Kyi from office. It is unclear what punishment the new charges might lead to.
Protesters marched in Myanmar’s cities again yesterday despite Sunday being the bloodiest day so far of anticoup demonstrations, when at least 18 people died and security forces increased their use of violence.
Activists erected barricades and plastered pictures of Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader, on the road to delay police officers unwilling to step on his face. They were met with tear gas, stun grenades and volleys of shots, but it was unclear if live ammunition was fired.