Photo: REUTERS / copyright
The ousted leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, was sentenced on Monday to four years in prison, the first in a series of verdicts that could lead to life in prison.
Suu Kyi was found guilty on charges of inciting dissent and breaking the rules to prevent covid – 19 during the campaign for the elections of 2020.
“She was sentenced to two years in prison under the section 505 (b) and two years in prison under the natural disaster law, ”said Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the military junta that currently governs Myanmar, to the AFP news agency.
Min Tun said that she will face trial for the other charges she is accused of from where she is now.
Have 11 charges against you. Suu Kyi has denied all allegations .
Amnesty International said Monday that Myanmar’s military junta is trying to “stifle freedoms” with the conviction of Suu Kyi.
“The harsh sentences handed down against Aung San Suu Kyi on these bogus charges are the latest example of the army’s determination to eliminate all opposition and stifle freedoms in Myanmar,” the group said in a statement quoted by AFP. .
Military coup
The wife of 76 years he led an elected civilian government before being overthrown by a military coup in February.
The military seized power alleging fraud in the general elections held at 2020 in which the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Suu Kyi, won by an overwhelming majority.
Since then, Suu Kyi has been under house arrest , charged with a series of crimes, including several charges of corruption, violation of the law on official secrets and incitement to public disorder.
Little has been seen or heard of her other than her brief court appearances.
Who Is Aung San Suu Kyi?
Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of General Aung San, hero of Myanmar’s independence, who was assassinated when she was just 2 years old, just before the country gained independence from British colonial rule in 1948.
Suu Kyi was once seen as a beacon of human rights : an activist who gave up her freedom to challenge the generals of the army that ruled Myanmar with a heavy hand for decades.
In 1991, received the Nobel Peace Prize, while still under house arrest, and was hailed as “an outstanding example of the power of the powerless.” Almost passed 15 years detained by periods between 1989 and 201 0.
In November 2015, led the League National for Democracy to a landslide victory in the first election with opponents in Myanmar in 25 years.
The country’s Constitution prohibits her from becoming president because she has children who are foreigners, but Suu Kyi is considered the de facto leader .
Since she became Councilor of State of Myanmar, her leadership has been defined by the treatment of the Rohingya minority , on mostly Muslim, from the country.
In her country, Suu Kyi remains very popular with the Buddhist majority who have little sympathy for the Rohingya.
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