Myanmar’s ousted leader confined indefinitely

A court in the capital city of Naypyitaw, Myanmar, also known as Burma, once again sentenced former leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday, this time over charges of violating coronavirus restrictions and illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies. Suu Kyi received a similar four-year sentence last month for inciting dissent and breaching COVID-19 restrictions. The military junta later reduced the sentence by half.

What does this mean for Suu Kyi? She could face a lifetime prison sentence if found guilty of the multiple charges leveled against her. She is facing trial at the same court on five counts of corruption. In separate proceedings, the junta charged her with violating the Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum 14-year sentence. The military detained Suu Kyi, the head of the ruling party in Myanmar before the coup, at the start of its takeover on Feb. 1. The junta has targeted her and other senior members of her democratic government with a slew of charges since then. Her lawyers argued her team held the walkie-talkies and used them as part of her security detail, but the court refused to drop the charges.

Dig deeper: Read my earlier report in The Sift on Suu Kyi’s December sentence.