The Myanmar junta has charged Aung San Suu Kyi, former president Win Myint, and former Union Minister Min Thu with influencing election officials during 2020 polls, sources said on Monday, a year after it staged a coup alleging massive voter fraud.
Aung San Suu Kyi, 76, has been detained since the February 1 coup last year. The Nobel laureate is facing a raft of charges - including violating the country's official secrets laws - and if convicted of all of them could face sentences tallying more than 100 years in prison.
She will face a further trial on charges of influencing the country's election commission during the 2020 polls that saw her party defeat a military-aligned rival, sources say, with the case to be wrapped up within six months.
Section 130-A of the Penal Code alleges improper influence in the 2020 election. Evidence will reportedly be presented on February 7, with the trial on this charge beginning on February 14.
Former president and stalwart of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party Win Myint will face the same charge, as will the former Union Minister, Min Thu, according to a source. Lawyers for the plaintiffs have been banned from publicly commenting on the cases.
Several senior members of the national electoral commission have also been arrested since the coup, accused of masterminding the NLD's landslide victory.
The junta cancelled the results of the 2020 election in July last year, saying it had found some 11.3 million instances of fraud. Independent monitors said the polls were largely free and fair.
The junta has promised to hold another election by August 2023 if the country - currently riven by fighting between the military and anti-coup fighters - is restored.
Ahead of today’s anniversary of the putsch, the junta has warned that noisy protests or sharing "propaganda" against the military could be charged with high treason or under the anti-terrorism law.
On Monday ousted Myanmar lawmakers from the alternative National Unity Government addressed the media in Paris.
The human rights spokesman Aung Myo Min urged the international community to implement an arms embargo and tighten economic sanctions to cut off all trade with the regime.
Aung San Suu Kyi has already been sentenced to six years in jail for illegally importing and owning walkie talkies, incitement against the military and breaking COVID-19 rules.
Mizzima, AFP
