Yangon
Ousted Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was hit with two new criminal charges when she appeared in court via video link on Monday, a month after a military coup triggered relentless and massive protests.
Suu Kyi has not been seen since being detained on February 1, and her appearance came as demonstrators took to the streets again across the country in defiance of an escalation of deadly force from the junta.
At least 18 people died on Sunday as troops and police fired live bullets at demonstrators in cities across Myanmar, according to the United Nations, which cited its own credible information.
Suu Kyi, 75, was already facing obscure criminal charges for possessing unlicensed walkie-talkies, as well as violating coronavirus restrictions by staging a campaign event during last year’s election.
She is now also accused of a violation of communications laws as well as intent to incite public unrest, her lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said.
“We can not say for sure how many more cases Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will face in this period,” he told reporters in Naypyidaw. “Anything can happen in this country at this time.”
Myanmar’s ousted president Win Myint is also facing the same intent to incite public unrest charge in addition to coronavirus restriction breaches. Suu Kyi has reportedly been kept under house arrest in Naypyidaw, an isolated city that the military built during a previous dictatorship.
The military has justified its takeover, ending a decade-long democratic experiment, by making unfounded allegations of widespread fraud in last November’s national elections.—APP
