Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s ousted leader, attended a court hearing on Monday that marks her first appearance in person since she was forced out of her position by military forces on February 1. Suu Kyi has been detained since the coup and was able to meet with her legal time in person before the hearing, which took place in the capital city of Naypyidaw. Prior to the hearing, Suu Kyi was only able to speak with her legal counsel via video chat in the presence of security personnel. Suu Kyi faces charges ranging from illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios to violating the official secrets act. The latter carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won by a landslide in Myanmar’s November 2020 elections, causing some to believe that the election was fraudulent. the lawyers also met with President Win Myint, who was detained following the coup alongside Suu Kyi and is facing similar charges. Myanmar’s junta-appointed election commission is seeking to dissolve the NLD due to claims of election fraud, the original cause for the coup. However, at the time of the coup, the electoral commission in place rejected any claims of election fraud and could find no proof that the election was illegitimate.
Read More: Myanmar ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi appears in court in person for first time since coup
