‘Grave concern’ over Suu Kyi health
Concern over leader’s health while in jail facing charges of violating house-arrest.
Aung San Suu Kyi has spent more that 13 of the past 19 years in some form of detention and activists fear for her health if she is convicted.
Nyan Win, one of Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyers, said the court had decided to delay final arguments in the case until June 5.
‘Show trial’
The nobel laureate faces a three-to-five year prison term if found guilty.
The case has been condemned by the West as a “show trial” to keep her detained during the regime’s promised elections next year, dismissed by critics as a ploy to entrench nearly half a century of military rule.
| In depth |
|
|
Barack Obama, the US president, said on Tuesday: “Aung San Suu Kyi’s continued detention, isolation, and show trial based on spurious charges cast serious doubt on the Burmese regime’s willingness to be a responsible member of the international community.”
Myanmar, referred to by its former name of Burma by those who reject Myanmar’s military government, has been under military rule since 1962.
It last held an election in 1990, but the government refused to recognise the results after a landslide victory by the NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
Myanmar’s southeast Asian neighbours warned on Thursday that the trial threatened the military government’s “honour and credibility”.
But Maung Myint, Myanmar’s foreign minister, lashed out at critics, accusing them of meddling in its affairs and denying the prosecution of Aung San Suu Kyi was a political or human rights issue, saying it was an “internal issue”.
‘Assassination’ warning
The American intruder involved in the case, John Yettaw, told the court that God sent him to warn Aung San Suu Kyi that she was going to be assassinated by “terrorists”.
Aung San Suu Kyi has denied any prior knowledge of his plans and blamed the incident on a security breach, for which no officials have been punished.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s two female housemates and Yettaw are charged under the same security law.
The American is also accused of immigration violations and breaking a municipal law that bans swimming in Inya Lake where Aung San Suu Kyi’s home is located.