Myanmar’s Ousted Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Sentenced to 4 More Years in Prison for Illegally Importing Walkie-Talkies

Myanmar’s Ousted Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Sentenced to 4 More Years in Prison for Illegally Importing Walkie-Talkies
Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi casts an advance vote at a polling station in Naypyidaw on October 29, 2020. THET AUNG/AFP via Getty Images

Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to two more years in prison under the Export-Import Law of Myanmar for illegally importing walkie-talkies. She also received an additional year under the Telecommunications Law for possessing them.

On top of these charges, Kyi was also found guilty of breaking COVID-19 restriction guidelines during the campaign period under the Natural Disaster Management Law.

Aung San Suu Kyi could face 100 years in prison

According to reports, Kyi was convicted last month on two other charges and received a four-year prison sentence. However, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing ruled that her sentence should be reduced to two years.

If Kyi would be found guilty on all the charges, she could reportedly face up to 100 years in prison.

Following Kyi's imprisonment last month, Michelle Bachelet, the human rights chief for the United Nations, denounced the fallen leader's conviction.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Myanmar responded to Bachelet by saying that she could not make one-sided judgments against the court's decision to convict Kyi. After all, the decision falls under the domestic jurisdiction of a sovereign country, according to Reuters.

Aung San Suu Kyi's victory resulted in protests

In 2020, Kyi and her party made headlines for their record-breaking victory during the general election. However, their military counterparts argued that they committed fraud.

The military takeover in Myanmar resulted in the deaths of 1,400 civilians by security forces, even though most of the demonstrations were described to be non-violent.

As of late, peaceful protests continue to occur in the country, but armed resistance has also grown. Experts are convinced that if the issues are not addressed quickly, it could result in a civil war.

Kyi continues to have a strong support system in Myanmar. However, she's no longer regarded as the country's driving force amid their pro-democracy movement and anti-junta resistance.

At present, the country's future is in the hands of the people. And they have all been craving freedom and democracy.

On the other hand, Kyi ruled Myanmar with a cult-like personality and refused to accept other people's viewpoints.

Cambodian PM didn't meet with Aung San Suu Kyi

According to Al Jazeera, Kyi's holding place remains unknown, but reporters previously claimed that her sentencing would be applied at her current detention location.

Kyi's conviction also came in the heels of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar. During the trip, Sen met up with Min Aung Hlaing and received criticisms from civil society groups.

However, the publication confirmed that Sen didn't meet up with Kyi, and the latter wasn't also mentioned in the press release that was made public over the weekend.

"The Myanmar junta's courtroom circus of secret proceedings on bogus charges is all about steadily piling up more convictions against Aung San Suu Kyi so that she will remain in prison indefinitely. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and the junta leaders obviously still view her as a paramount political threat who needs to be permanently neutralized," a critic said via the Huffington Post.

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Imprisonment, Myanmar
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