Court to give decision on Suu Kyi appeal on Oct 2

by Mizzima News
Friday, 18 September 2009 18:14

New Delhi (Mizzima) - The Rangoon divisional court on Friday heard arguments on an appeal against the verdict of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and scheduled October 2 for announcing its decision.

At the request of lawyers of Aung San Suu Kyi, who was sentenced by a district court in August 11, the division court on Friday heard arguments for review of the district court’s verdict.

Nyan Win, a member of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s legal team, said, “Arguments by lawyers on both sides was heard today and the court scheduled October 2, 10 a.m. for announcing its decision.”

He said, the defence submitted an 11-point argument for the appeal with the main focus stating that the 1974 constitution is no longer in force.

“Aung San Suu Kyi is being detained under articles taken from this constitution. And if this constitution is no more in force, she cannot be detained and naturally there can be no case against her,” Nyan Win added.

He expressed his expectation that the Burmese pro-democracy leader would be freed as per the existing law and hoped that the judge on October 2 would make a positive announcement.

The Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate was sentenced to three years with hard labour by a district court in Insein prison on August 11, but an executive order by the junta supremo Snr Gen Than Shwe halved the sentence and allowed her to serve time at her home.

She was sentenced on charges of violating her previous house arrest terms by allowing an American, John Yettaw, who swam across a lake and entered her house in early May to stay a few days.

Following the verdict, the Burmese democracy icon’s lawyers submitted an appeal on her behalf on September 4 to the divisional court, which accepted the case and scheduled the hearing to be held on September 18.

Earlier, Aung San Suu Kyi had made a written request to the Rangoon Special Branch Police to allow her to attend the hearing on September 18 but she was denied permission.

The court hearing on Friday coincides with the junta’s release of prisoners as part of an amnesty to over 7,114 prisoners across the country. Sources in the opposition said, there were a few political prisoners among those freed on Friday.

Opposition sources and analysts in Rangoon said only up to 250 political prisoners will be included among the 7,114 prisoners to be released.

On Friday, Eint Khine Oo, reporter of the Rangoon-based Ecovision Journal, Naing Naing, a Member of Parliament elected in 1990 elections, and a about dozen other political prisoners were included among the more than 500 prisoners released from Insein prison.

Zaw Win, director of the Directorate of Prison, after a press conference, told reporters that Burma has no political prisoners.

Reporting by Salai Han Thar San