Ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four more years in prison on Monday after she was found guilty of illegally importing and carrying walkie-talkies and violating coronavirus restrictions, per NPR.
Why was Suu Kyi arrested?
Suu Kyi was convicted on two charges last month and given a four-year sentence, which was subsequently halved by the military-led government.
- She faces a dozen other charges, all of which she denies, per BBC. Her trial has been pegged by critics as unfair.
- Her latest charge stems from a search of her house on the last day of a February coup. The devices discovered are presumed to have been used by her security guards, making her conviction a tactic to keep her detained.
- Per The Associated Press, these charges will help legitimize the military’s power and prevent Suu Kyi from returning to politics.
What is the military doing in Myanmar?
The military seized power of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, in February last year, months after Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, won the November 2020 election by a landslide, per BBC.
- At the time, the military claimed voter fraud and, soon after, it cracked down on pro-democracy protests.
- Suu Kyi is one of more than 10,600 who has been arrested since February, with at least 1,303 killed in demonstrations, per the report.