BANGKOK/YANGON — Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was found guilty on the last remaining corruption charges against her on Friday and sentenced to seven years by a regional court set up by the military, a source close to the trial told Nikkei Asia, bringing her total prison term to 33 years.
The trial against the country’s former state counselor was held in a closed-door court in Naypyitaw. The military regime has imposed a gag order on Suu Kyi’s lawyers to keep information on her from going public.
Myanmar’s 77-year-old democracy icon had already been sentenced to a total of 26 years on 14 criminal charges, including for breaching the official secrets law, incitement against the military and violation of COVID-19 restrictions. The new verdict marked the final judgment in 19 criminal charges brought against her by the regime altogether.
In the last five charges, Suu Kyi, along with former President Win Myint, was accused of violating financial regulations. The country’s anti-corruption commission installed by the military said Suu Kyi had abused her authority in the procurement of a helicopter, causing “a loss to State funds.”
The last trial is viewed as a move for the military regime to add to its momentum ahead of the general election it has pledged to hold by August. By barring Suu Kyi from returning to politics anytime soon, the regime expects supporters of her political party, the National League for Democracy — which ruled Myanmar before the military’s power grab in February 2021 — to lose hope in the public backing anti-military parties in the elections.
Core leaders of the NLD have declared it would reject the military’s attempt to hold another election.
The military regime is also said to have rushed wrapping up Suu Kyi’s trials. A person familiar with the proceedings said, “I think the court was in haste to finish cases by the end of this year, because the trial normally adjourned every Monday and Tuesday but the judge called sessions for the verdict on Friday.” The diamond-jubilee ceremony to celebrate the 75th anniversary of independence on Jan. 4 could be one of the reasons, as the regime is expected to emphasize its election plan at the ceremony.
The United Nations Security Council last week urged in its first resolution on Myanmar that the military release all political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and called for an immediate end to all forms of violence throughout the country.