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Trial of Myanmar's pro-democracy leader continue for second day
Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi faced a second day of a closed-door trial Tuesday as international criticism mounted against a military regime that has found pretexts for keeping her in detention over most of the past two decades.
- AP
- Published: 10:53 May 19, 2009
- Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi faced a second day of a closed-door trial Tuesday as international criticism mounted.
- Image Credit: AP
Yangon: Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi faced a second day of a closed-door trial Tuesday as international criticism mounted against a military regime that has found pretexts for keeping her in detention over most of the past two decades.
Suu Kyi, her two companions under house arrest, and an American, John W. Yettaw, are being tried together for violating the conditions of her restriction order, which bans visitors without official permission. The offense is punishable by up to five years' imprisonment.
Yettaw prompted the charges by swimming to her property and sneaking into her home for reasons which are still unclear.
Hundreds of police in full riot gear, some armed with rifles, were deployed along all roads leading to Insein prison as the trial continued Tuesday morning.
About 100 Suu Kyi supporters gathered peacefully near the prison but were blocked by a ring of barbed wire around Insein. Key activist groups, which had spearheaded a failed 2007 uprising against the regime, have vowed to hold demonstrations and prayer vigils until Suu Kyi is freed.
Last week's arrest of the Nobel Peace laureate, who has been under house detention without trial for more than 13 of the past 19 years, reignited criticism of Myanmar's military junta, and led to renewed calls by world leaders for her immediate release.
US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the charges against Suu Kyi were "unjustified" and called for her unconditional release and that of more than 2,100 other political prisoners.
Suu Kyi's arrest could well derail a "softer" approach that the Obama administration had been searching for to replace Washington's sanctions and other get-tough policies which did nothing to divert the ruling junta's iron-fisted rule.
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