Yangon/Geneva/Washington/Beijing: Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four years of imprisonment by a military-controlled court, immediately inviting global condemnation of the verdict.
Reports indicate that after the verdict of the trial was released, peaceful protesters were executed on the streets of Yangon by junta forces, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews said. A military vehicle ran directly into them while exercising their basic right of free speech, he added.
Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Laureate, was convicted of incitement and breaking COVID-19 rules. She is still facing charges of corruption and electoral fraud.
One of the charges Aung San Suu Kyi and Win Myint were sentenced under—Section 505(b) of the Penal Code—criminalizes speech that may cause “fear or alarm to the public” or that leads others to upset “public tranquility.”
“Relying on this provision, as well as draconian and illegitimate amendments to other existing laws and regulations, the junta has systematically violated the people of Myanmar’s right to freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and access to information,” Andrews said.
“The conviction of the State Counsellor following a sham trial in secretive proceedings before a military-controlled court is nothing but politically-motivated,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in Geneva today. She deplored the conviction and sentencing of Suu Kyi and called for her release.”Bachelet said, and claimed that it was not only about arbitrary denial of her freedom – “it closes yet another door to political dialogue”.
The High Commissioner also called for the immediate release of all who have been arbitrarily detained.
Condemning the verdict, the United States Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, urged Myanmar’s military regime to release her and all those “unjustly detained, including other democratically elected officials”. Coming down heavily on the Burmese military junta, the US stated that the regime’s continued disregard for the rule of law and its widespread use of violence against the Burmese people underscore the urgency of restoring Myanmar’s path to democracy.
“The Burmese military regime’s unjust conviction of Aung San Suu Kyi and the repression of other democratically elected officials are yet further affronts to democracy and justice in Burma,” Blinken stated.
The USA reiterated its call for the regime to engage in constructive dialogue with all parties to seek a peaceful resolution in the interest of the people, as agreed to in the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. “We join the people of Burma in their aspirations for freedom and democracy and call on the regime to end the use of violence, respect the will of the people, and restore Burma’s democratic transition,” Blinken said.
In staging the coup on February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military, also known as the Tatmadaw, arrested Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and numerous members of the National League for Democracy (NLD). Since then, the Tatmadaw have detained over 10,000 of their opponents arbitrarily, with at least 175 people – including many NLD members – reported to have died in custody most likely due to ill-treatment or torture.
On November 10, 2021, Than Naing, former planning minister of Kayin State, and Nan Khin Htwe Myint, former chief minister of Kayin State, were sentenced to 90 and 75 years of imprisonment respectively on charges of corruption.“The military is attempting to instrumentalize the courts to remove all political opposition,” Bachelet said. “But these cases cannot provide a legal veneer to the illegitimacy of the coup and military rule.”“This verdict against Aung San Suu Kyi will only deepen rejection of the coup,” the High Commissioner added. “It will harden positions when what is needed is dialogue and a peaceful, political settlement of this crisis.”Bachelet also strongly condemned the “vicious, utterly reprehensible” attack reported yesterday in Kyimyindaing Township in Yangon, where security forces used a truck to ram into unarmed protesters and then fired upon the group using live ammunition.The High Commissioner expressed concern that these developments risk further exacerbating tensions and violence.In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, “As a friendly neighbour, China sincerely hopes that all parties and sides in Myanmar will proceed from the long-term interests of the nation and people, bridge differences under the constitutional and legal framework and continue to advance the hard-won democratic transition process that suits Myanmar’s national circumstances.
– global bihari bureau
