Myanmar: Further charges against deposed Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi

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He has been under house arrest since the coup a year ago

Photo: NARONG SANGNAK/EPA

A year ago, the military in Myanmar arrested Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and seized power in a coup.

Now the junta has accused them again.

It is about corruption allegations in connection with a donation of 550,000 dollars (480,000 euros) to the "Daw Khin Kyi Foundation" named after her mother, reported the state television controlled by the military junta on Friday.

The 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner now faces more than a dozen charges.

Show trials against Prime Minister

Just last week, Suu Kyi was formally charged with fraud in the 2020 general election. She faces more long prison sentences. Judicial circles said that on Thursday she was unable to take part in the ongoing trial in the capital Naypyidaw for health reasons. Human rights activists speak of a show trial. It is believed that the junta wants to permanently silence the ex-head of government, who has been under house arrest for many years.

In December and January, Suu Kyi had already been sentenced to several years in prison on various charges.

However, it is unclear whether she will actually have to serve a prison sentence or remain under house arrest.

The military staged a coup in February last year.

The generals justify the coup with alleged voter fraud in the November 2020 election, which Suu Kyi clearly won.

They presented no evidence.

According to the United Nations and the prisoner aid organization AAPP, more than 1,500 people have been killed in anti-junta protests since the coup.

This included female students, doctors, women and even children, AAPP co-founder Bo Kyi wrote in The Irrawaddy newspaper.

He spoke of a "terrorist campaign" by the regime and directly criticized the commander-in-chief of the army and current ruler: "Min Aung Hlaing's greed and brutality are plunging entire generations into poverty."

According to the UN, almost 12,000 people were also unlawfully arrested;

almost 9,000 are still in prison.

In the past, the military junta has described such figures as incorrect.

muk/dpa