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Suu Kyi rejects Myanmar charges
Pro-democracy leader rejects government accusations she violated house arrest.
Last Modified: 26 May 2009 02:49 GMT

Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for more
than 13 of the past 19 years [AFP]

Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's pro-democracy leader, on trial for allegedly breaching the terms of her house arrest, has proclaimed her innocence in front of a prison tribunal.

But the court on Friday said that it accepted the charge against her and that the trial can now proceed to a verdict, which could see the Nobel peace Laureate jailed for up to five years.

Suu Kyi's lawyer said that the presiding judge accepted the government's charge that she violated the terms of her house arrest and asked Suu Kyi if she was guilty.

"I am not guilty because I have not broken any law," Suu Kyi was said to have replied.

The court also accepted the charge levelled against two of Suu Kyi's companions and John Yettaw, and American man whose intrusion into Suu Kyi's lakeside home triggered the case.

'Anti-government forces'

Yettaw's visit has begun a storm of speculation in Myanmar, with some of those supporting Suu Kyi suggesting Yettaw's visit was set up by the country's military government precisely so they could extend her house arrest, due to expire on May 27.

But a senior government official said that a plot by "anti-government forces" was behind the visit.

In depth


 Suu Kyi's uninvited guest
 Interview: Suu Kyi's US lawyer
 Asean criticised over Myanmar
 Video: Suu Kyi faces years in jail
 Video: Suu Kyi charges 'a ploy'
 Profile: Aung San Suu Kyi

According to the state-run New Light of Myanmar, Nyan Win, the foreign minister, told his Japanese counterpart that the incident was organised by "internal and external anti-government forces", a term the government usually uses to refer to pro-democracy groups.

Friday was the fifth day of Suu Kyi's trial, which is being held behind closed doors at Yangon's Insein prison.

Suu Kyi has been in detention without trial for more than 13 of the past 19 years.

Due to Yettaw's visit she has been charged with allowing a visitor to stay at her home without official permission - an offence punishable by up to five years imprisonment.

On Wednesday, the court was shown a video Yettaw allegedly shot at Suu Kyi's home.

The video had a voice-over, apparently by Yettaw, which was translated into the local language in the courtroom, Nyan Win, one of the opposition leader's lawyers - not related to the foreign minister - said.

Suu Kyi's lawyers have also said that she told Yettaw to leave, but that she allowed him to stay for two days after he pleaded that he was too ill and tired to return across the lake.

Source:
Agencies
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