অ্যাকসেসিবিলিটি লিংক

Last Witness Testifies in Trial of Burma's Democracy Leader


The last defense witness in the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi says the Burmese opposition leader violated no existing laws, because the constitution was abolished during the country's 1988 military coup.

Khin Moe Moe, a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, testified Friday at a seven-hour court session in Rangoon, after the democracy leader's trial resumed. He is only the second defense witness the court has allowed, while the prosecution was allowed 14.

Aung San Suu Kyi faces five years in prison for allegedly violating the terms of her house arrest after allowing an uninvited guest in without official permission. She has been held at Insein prison in Rangoon since the May incident.

British diplomatic official (Charge D'Affaires) Jeremy Hodges was not allowed to observe Friday's court proceedings after being told he did not have the proper permission.

The trial is set to resume July 24 when final arguments will begin.

Friday's court session came a week after U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited Burma to ask that she be released. Mr. Ban was not allowed to meet with the democracy leader, which he called "deeply disappointing."

Aung San Suu Kyi is on trial for allegedly letting American John Yettaw stay with her for two nights after he swam to her home uninvited in May. Two of Aung San Suu Kyi's live-in assistants and the American man who unexpectedly turned up at her house also are on trial, facing similar jail time.

International right groups accuse Burma's military government of using the trial as a pretext to keep her in detention through next year's elections.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won Burma's last elections in 1990, but the military refused to honor the results. She has been under house arrest for more than 13 of the past 19 years.

XS
SM
MD
LG