Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to four additional years in prison

The sky darkens above Aung San Suu Kyi. On Monday, the 76-year-old former Burmese leader was sentenced to four years in prison in one of the parts of her trial, at the end of which she faces decades of detention. According to a source close to the case, she was notably found guilty of illegally importing walkie-talkies. According to the prosecution, this contraband material was discovered during the search carried out in the official residence of Aung San Suu Kyi during her arrest.

This new condemnation inflicted on the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner caused an international reaction. “The unjust arrest, indictment and sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi by the Burmese military regime is an affront to justice and the rule of law”, declared the spokesman of the American diplomacy Ned Price in front of the press. “It’s a political judgment”, lamented the Norwegian Nobel Committee “deeply worried about his situation”.

On the French side, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs denounced “a travesty of justice” Who “aggravates a very worrying political situation”. “The way out of the crisis in Burma will require a political dialogue involving all the parties to the conflict, the immediate cessation of attacks perpetrated by the army against civilian populations and the unconditional release of all political prisoners detained since February 1, 2021. “, can we also read in the official press release.

Already last December, Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four years in prison for violating coronavirus restrictions. The generals in power had reduced the sanction to two years. She is serving this first sentence in a secret since her arrest almost a year ago. For her trial, which is being held behind closed doors, she is notably charged on multiple occasions with sedition, corruption, incitement to public unrest and electoral fraud.

At his side, the former President of the Republic Win Myint, also arrested on February 1, 2021, is also on trial. Several relatives of the former leader have already been sentenced to heavy sentences: 75 years in prison for a former minister, 20 years for one of his collaborators. Others went into exile or went into hiding.