Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi Testifies in Election Fraud Trial – The Diplomat

Ousted Myanmar chief Aung San Suu Kyi denied the accusations in an election fraud cost in opposition to her when she testified for the primary time on the case Friday on the jail court docket within the capital Naypyidaw, a authorized official mentioned.

The military seized energy from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected authorities in February final 12 months, claiming large voting fraud within the 2020 normal election, an allegation not corroborated by unbiased election observers.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s Nationwide League for Democracy social gathering gained that election in a landslide, whereas the military-backed Union Solidarity and Growth Occasion did poorly.

A conviction within the election fraud case may result in Aung San Suu Kyi’s social gathering being dissolved and unable to take part in a brand new election the army has promised will happen in 2023.

Aung San Suu Kyi has already been sentenced to 11 years in jail after being convicted on fees of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition, and a corruption cost.

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Aung San Suu Kyi’s supporters and unbiased analysts say the costs are politically motivated and an try and discredit her and legitimize the army’s seizure of energy whereas protecting her from returning to politics.

Aung San Suu Kyi is being tried for a number of fees at a brand new facility constructed within the jail compound within the capital Naypyidaw, together with the electoral fraud cost. She was transferred from a secret detention location to a custom-built solitary facility at a jail in Naypyidaw final month.

The penalty for the offense is three years’ imprisonment. Former President Win Myint and former Union Authorities Workplace Minister Min Thu are co-defendants within the case.

The election fraud cost was filed in November by the state Election Fee, whose members have been appointed by the army authorities. The army dismissed the fee’s earlier members, who had declared there have been no main irregularities within the election.

The brand new fee accused the defendants, together with its personal former chairman, of being “concerned in electoral processes, election fraud and lawless actions.”

A authorized official accustomed to Friday’s proceedings mentioned Aung San Suu Kyi testified within the court docket that she didn’t transcend the nation’s structure in holding the 2020 normal election, and didn’t affect the Union Election Fee in that election, earlier than pleading not responsible. Additional particulars of what she mentioned weren’t accessible due to a gag order on her legal professionals.

The authorized official, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he isn’t licensed to launch info, mentioned Aung San Suu Kyi gave the impression to be in good well being.

All of Aung San Suu Kyi’s trials within the jail court docket are closed to the media and the general public. The prosecutors don’t touch upon them and the state-controlled media haven’t reported immediately on the proceedings. Aung San Suu Kyi’s legal professionals have been barred since final 12 months from offering particulars of the trials underneath a gag order.

The choose adjourned the election fraud trial for subsequent week, when co-defendant Min Thu will testify.

Win Myint, one other co-defendant within the case, gave a courtroom testimony final week denying the accusations in opposition to him, the authorized official mentioned.

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Aung San Suu Kyi can also be being tried on a cost of violating the Official Secrets and techniques Act, which carries a most sentence of 14 years, and 11 counts underneath the Anti-Corruption Legislation, with every rely punishable by as much as 15 years in jail and a high-quality.

The corruption circumstances are amongst a lot of fees underneath which the army is prosecuting her. If discovered responsible of all the costs, she might be sentenced to greater than 100 years in jail.

Her legal professionals are attempting to overturn the 2 counts underneath the Anti-Corruption Act in an attraction to the Supreme Court docket on technical grounds, saying the case mustn’t have been filed. On this corruption case, she is accused of receiving $550,000 in bribes from Maung Weik, a development magnate.

The military’s takeover in 2021 was met with widespread non-violent protests. After safety forces unleashed deadly pressure in opposition to peaceable demonstrators, some opponents of army rule turned to armed resistance in lots of areas.