Former Burmese leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to five years in jail for accepting a bribe of $840,000 cash and gold bars.
On Wednesday morning, a Myanmar junta court in the military-built capital Naypyidaw sentenced the 76-year old in the first of 11 corruption cases against her, including violating the official secrets act, corruption and electoral fraud; charges that could see her jailed for several decades if she is convicted on all counts.
“Regarding taking gold and dollars from U Phyo Min Thein, the court sentenced her five years’ imprisonment,” the military government’s spokesperson, Zaw Min Tun told AFP.
“She will be under house arrest. I do not know whether she asked for appeal. They are working according to the legal way. As far as I know, she’s in good health.”
Suu Kyi was charged for accepting 11.4 kg of gold and cash payments from her protege-turned-accuser, former chief minister of Yangon, Phyo Min Thein.
Suu Kyi called the accusations “absurd” and has consistently denied all charges.
Since February last year, Suu Kyi has been in detention after the country’s military, led by commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing declared a 12-month long state of emergency when it seized control of the country following a general election which saw Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party win by a landslide.
In December, Suu Kyi was charged for breaching COVID-19 rules while she campaigned during last year’s election, despite wearing a mask and face shield, and breaking a telecommunications law.
Both local and international journalists have been prohibited from attending the court hearings, while Suu Kyi’s lawyers have been barred from speaking to the media.
David Scott Mathieson, a Yangon-based independent Myanmar analyst believes the junta was using the criminal cases to make Suu Kyi “politically irrelevant”.
“This is just another squalid step in solidifying the coup,” he told AFP. “This is politically motivated pure and simple.”
Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch in New York, told Reuters that Suu Kyi’s days as a free person are over.
“Myanmar’s junta and the country’s kangaroo courts are walking in lockstep to put Aung San Suu Kyi away for what could ultimately be the equivalent of a life sentence, given her advanced age,” he said.
“Destroying popular democracy in Myanmar also means getting rid of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the junta is leaving nothing to chance.”
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah tweeted his concern for the deposed leader, saying “the basic principles of human rights and justice should be ensured”.
Nay Phone Latt, a former official in Suu Kyi’s ousted ruling party and member of the shadow National Unity Government, told Reuters that the court decisions were temporary, and that the military rule would not last long.
“We do not recognise the terrorist junta’s rulings, legislation, or the judiciary,” Latt said.
“I don’t care how long they want to sentence, whether it’s one year, two years, or whatever they want. This won’t last.”