Myanmar Court to deliver verdict on Aung San Suu Kyi's first charge on December 14

A court in Myanmar will rule on the first of several charges levelled against detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in the aftermath of a military coup on December 14, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the case. Suu Kyi has been detained since February 1, when the army seized power and prevented her and her party from assuming a second five-year term in office following a landslide victory in the general election last November. The Myanmar Junta military claims it intervened because of widespread electoral fraud, an allegation that does not appear to be well supported. The court has been hearing testimony related to the charge of incitement, also known as sedition.

The offence is defined as disseminating false or inflammatory information with the intent to disrupt public order, and it is punishable by up to three years in prison. The first verdict is set for next month on a charge of violating Covid-19 guidelines, with final arguments to be heard one week before, Bloomberg reported, citing the person who cannot be identified owing to the trial's sensitivity. The trials are part of the military's effort to discredit Suu Kyi after her party won more than 80% of the seats in a national election a year ago. The military has since declared the elections to be tainted by widespread fraud, despite international observers reporting that they were mostly free and fair.

Suu Kyi's lawyers have been barred from discussing the court proceedings

Last week, Aung San Suu Kyi, the ousted Myanmar leader, testified in court for the first time in one of several cases against her, but details of what she said were unavailable due to a gag order imposed on her lawyers. All defence lawyers in Suu Kyi's cases have been barred from discussing the court proceedings since last week. The action was taken in accordance with Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, a broadly worded statute from British colonial times designed to deal with emergency situations that endanger public safety. However, there have been no indications of unrest as a result of any of her trials. 

As per an AP report, the Myanmar Junta's spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun, after the gag order was imposed on Suu Kyi's main lawyer, stated that it was imposed because he incited local and foreign media to spread false information that could destabilise the country. Suu Kyi's co-defendants in the case are Win Myint, her former government's president, and Myo Aung, Naypyitaw's former mayor. The army's takeover has sparked widespread opposition, which has taken the form of both peaceful civil disobedience and armed resistance. According to a detailed list compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, security forces used lethal force to suppress nonviolent protests, killing about 1,200 civilians.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP