Junta charges Nobel Peace Laureate under section 22
Thursday, 14 May 2009 15:40
Chiang Mai - Burma’s pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Thursday was charged under section 22 of the country's penal code, for protecting a criminal and disturbing the stability of the state, and is currently being detained in Rangoon’s Insein Prison.
If found guilty under the charge, she could be sentenced to a prison term of three to five years, fined 5,000 kyats ($US 5) or incur both penalties.
Additionally, Khin Khin Win and her daughter, who have been living with Aung San Suu Kyi and tending to her daily needs, were charged under section 22/109 of the penal code, which is concerned with supporting a criminal act against the stability of the state.
Further, John William Yettaw, who swam across Inya Lake and entered Aung San Suu Kyi’s residence, was also charged under section 22/109 of penal code in conjunction with charges under the Immigration and Rangoon Municipal Acts.
Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, as per the court’s remand, is being held in a special cell inside Insein Prison.
The trial of Aung San Suu Kyi and the other three accused will be conducted at the Rangoon Western District Court in Insein Prison, and will be presided over by Justice Thawng Nyunt in the presence of Advisor to the Justice Nyi Nyi Soe and District Legal Advisor Myint Kyaing.
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Aung San Suu Kyi detained in Insein Prison
Thursday, 14 May 2009 13:20
Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained in a special cell in Rangoon’s notorious Insein prison after a brief court session, where she was tried for breaching her house-arrest laws.
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Aung San Suu Kyi’s trial adjourned, scheduled for May 18
Thursday, 14 May 2009 13:15
Chiang Mai - Aung San Suu Kyi along with her two live-in party members and the American citizen have been charged with violating the law on her house arrest, and the trail, which began on Thursday, has been adjourned with the next hearing scheduled for May 18.
Aung San Suu Kyi, and her two live-in party members, Daw Khin Khin Win and daughter Win Ma Ma, who look after her, along with the American John William Yettaw, who secretly entered Suu Kyi’s residence, were charged under section 22, which is breaching the house arrest rules and regulations.
The charges were filed in the special court, which was presided over by the Rangoon Western District Justice Thawng Nyunt, and Nyi Nyi Soe, in the presence of district legal advisor Myint Kyaing.
Reportedly, the Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has hired three more lawyers – Nyan Win, Aung Thein and Khin Htay Kywe – to defend her. Aung San Suu Kyi and her two party members - Khin Khin Win and her daughter were said to have been taken to a separate cell in the notorious Insein prison.
Kyi Win, Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer, and his assistant Hla Myo Myint, who were allowed into the Insein prison’s special court, where the Nobel Laureate along with the three others were charged, reportedly came out of the prison court at about 11:15 a.m. (local time).
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Trial commences for Aung San Suu Kyi
Thursday, 14 May 2009 11:30
New Delhi - Aung San Suu Kyi was produced before a special court in Rangoon’s Insein Prison at about 9:30 a.m. (local time) on Thursday.
A Mizzima correspondent on the ground confirmed that the Burmese pro-democracy leader arrived at the prison in a white saloon car escorted by several vehicles carrying security personnel at 7:15 this morning (local time).
Security, according to the correspondent, was heightened along the entire length of the route from Aung San Suu Kyi's residence at 54 University Avenue to Insein Prison.
Kyi Win, Aung San Suu Kyi’s personal lawyer, and his assistant were allowed entry into Insein Prison. However, National League for Democracy spokesperson Nyan Win, who is a lawyer by profession, Aung Thein, and female lawyer Daw Khin Htay Kywe are still awaiting permission to enter the prison court.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained for more than 12 of the past 19 years, was taken from her residence by authorities in the early morning hours of Thursday.
Earlier, Nyan Win told Mizzima that while he is not aware of what charges would be brought against Aung San Suu Kyi, as she has not violated any laws, he said authorities might charge her for violating her detention law, which includes restrictions on contacting outside persons.
Along with the Burmese democracy icon, her two live-in maids, personal doctor, Tin Myo Win, and an American man who had entered Aung San Suu Kyi’s residence, John William Yettaw, will be produced before the court.
Yettaw last week gained access to the residence of Aung San Suu Kyi after swimming across Inya Lake. He was arrested two days later while swimming the return leg.
According to Burma’s state-run newspaper, New Light of Myanmar, which carried a biography of Yettaw on Thursday, the American man is an ex-military serviceman and resident of Falcon, Missouri, in the United States.
The intention behind Yettaw’s visit to Aung San Suu Kyi’s house remains unclear.
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Update on Aung San Suu Kyi (2)
Thursday, 14 May 2009 09:26
Nyan Win, the National League for Democracy party spokesman at 8 a.m. Burmese time told Mizzima, “I heard that she [Aung San Suu Kyi] will be taken from her house at about 7 a.m. (local time). By this time she must have been taken away. I am not sure but it is about 7 a.m. that she was supposed to be taken.”
Nyan Win and Aung San Suu Kyi’s personal lawyer Kyi Win have both reached Aung San Suu Kyi’s residence cum jail on University Avenue in Rangoon.
The authorities were said to have also taken the two live-in maids, Khin Khin Win and her daughter, along with Aung San Suu Kyi.
But it is still not clear on what grounds Aung San Suu Kyi will be charged and tried.
“I think she might be charged with violating her detention law. But I cannot say exactly as of now. And I don’t know what she has flouted, I mean from the actual perspective of the law,” Nyan Win, who is a lawyer by profession, said.
He said, Aung San Suu Kyi has been kept under house arrest under Article 10 (b) of the Burmese law and Article (22) prescribes the rules for her detention.
Under her house arrest terms, the Nobel Peace Laureate is prohibited from communicating with foreign embassies, political parties, and people having affiliation to political parties. She is not supposed to leave her house, and not to communicate with anybody through the use of letter or through telephones and other wire devices.
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Suu Kyi produced in prison court
Thursday, 14 May 2009 09:06
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – In a major development, which took the Opposition by surprise, the Burmese military junta authorities took Aung San Suu Kyi from her residence on Thursday morning to be produced in a special court in the infamous Insein prison, according to party sources.
She has been charged in connection with the case of an American citizen John William Yettaw, who intruded into her residence by swimming across Innya Lake in Rangoon.
Two maids who stay with Suu Kyi and look after her also face unspecified charges.
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Thursday, May 14, 2009
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