A court controlled by the ruling military junta in Myanmar sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1991, to five years in prison for corruption. Sources familiar with the judicial proceedings report this. This is the first sentence relating to 11 corruption charges that the former Burmese leader faces. Each of the charges carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Suu Kyi, who denies all charges, was found guilty of accepting a $ 600,000 bribe in cash and gold bars from a former prime minister. Journalists are not allowed to follow the trial.
It is not clear whether Suu Kyi will have to serve her sentence in prison or will be able to remain under house arrest, as has already happened for many years in the past, before the brief democratic interlude in Myanmar. Suu Kyi, arrested on February 1 last year shortly before the military coup, has already been sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of five counts including possession of walkie talkies and violation of anti-covid restrictions.
