Myanmar court sentences Suu Kyi to another four years in prison

Bloomberg

Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to another four years in prison after a special court found the ousted civilian leader guilty in a second round of charges brought against her by the military junta that took power in February.
Suu Kyi, 76, was found guilty for illegally importing and possessing unlicensed walkie-talkies as well as breaking covid restrictions during the election campaign in 2020, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said.
The decision came just weeks after the same court in Naypyidaw sentenced her to four years jail for inciting dissent against the military and breaking Covid-19 regulations, although that prison term was later halved.
“We haven’t decided on whether there will be any kind of pardon like in the first verdict last month,” said Zaw Min Tun, who is the lead spokesman for the State Administration Council. “There may be such a pardon on humanitarian grounds.”
The slew of court trials reflect a push by the military government to discredit Suu Kyi after her party won more than 80% of the seats in the election one year ago. The military led by Min Aung Hlaing declared the elections as tainted by widespread fraud even though international observers said it was mostly free and fair.
Monday’s court decision comes after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visited Myanmar last week to meet with the junta leaders and help ease crisis in the country as clashes between the military and resistance fighters intensified. However, the junta didn’t let Hun Sen visit Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi is currently being held in an undisclosed location. She may face tougher penalties next year if she is found guilty of violating state secrets and corruption charges. She has pleaded not guilty for all her trials —which her supporters have described as politically motivated.
The shadow National Unity Government formed by Suu Kyi’s allies have called the verdicts null and void, as it pushed ahead with a resistance effort against military junta that has led to more violence. The NUG has been fundraising since it declared war on the regime in September and the junta has warned that the solicitation for money violates a counterterrorism law.