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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Myanmar court begins trial of jailed democracy advocate

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] Pro-democracy advocate and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi went on trial Monday in Myanmar for violating the terms of her house arrest. Suu Kyi allegedly violated these terms earlier this month by allowing an American man who swam across a lake to stay with her and faces up to five years imprisonment. Her arrest was controversial and highly criticized by the international community. Myanmar riot police surrounded Insein prison to protect it from protesters. One of Suu Kyi's laywers told the media that the court rejected a request to open the trial up to the media and the public for security reasons. Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned Myanmar's actions, calling the charges "trumped up" and seeking international support for her release. Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy, has spent 12 of the past 18 years in prison or under house arrest for alleged violations of an anti-subversion law. In 2007, the military government had implied that she might be released after the country's new constitution was approved. In May 2008, the junta announced that Myanmar's draft constitution had been overwhelmingly approved but the ruling junta at the same time extended Suu Kyi's house arrest for another year.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on May 18, 2009 (boomark / email).