Myanmar’s military junta reduced former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence by half only hours after the initial verdict on Monday.
Charges: Suu Kyi was sentenced on charges of inciting public unrest and breaching COVID-19 protocols. She has denied all charges against her.
- Suu Kyi’s trial on Dec. 5 found her guilty of inciting public unrest and breaching COVID-19 protocols, following a previous charge of electoral fraud last week.
- She is on trial for nine additional charges, including corruption. If she is found guilty on all charges, she will be imprisoned for a maximum of 102 years.
- Earlier on Monday, Suu Kyi was originally sentenced to four years in prison. But Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of the military junta, reduced Suu Kyi’s sentence to two years in prison. She will be allowed to serve out the remainder of her sentence, 14 months, at her home where she has thus far been detained.
Her arrest: On Feb. 1, Suu Kyi was detained and held at gunpoint as a result of a military coup.
- That day, the military junta declared it was transferring power to Min Aung Hlaing and that he would take control of the country for one year.
- Suu Kyi has not been seen in public or been able to speak to anyone aside from her lawyers since she was detained on Feb. 1.
- Journalists have been barred from attending the special court hearings in Naypyidaw, and Suu Kyi’s lawyers were recently banned from speaking to the media
Featured Image via Reuters
