Aung San Suu Kyi Undergoes Secrecy Law Case Trial At Supreme Court, Lawyer Worried

Aung San Suu Kyi. (Wikimedia Commons/C. George)

JAKARTA - The lawyer for Myanmar's leader who was ousted and detained by the military regime in a February 1 coup, Aung San Suu Kyi, is concerned about the fate of her client ahead of her upcoming trial.

Speaking to reporters Friday, June 4, Suu Kyi's lawyer voiced concern that in the upcoming trial she will not have registered legal representation in the case brought by the Myanmar military regime.

In fact, the allegations of misconduct against him were no joke, as the regime accused him of violating the Official Secrets Act. The allegations, which Suu Kyi's lawyer, Khing Maung Zaw, say are very damning.

Khing Maung Zaw said Myanmar's Supreme Court had announced the cases to be heard on June 23. Apart from Suu Kyi, there are four other people including Suu Kyi's Australian economic adviser, Sean Turnell. However, they register to represent themselves.

"We are worried that they will not have legal representation and there will be no transparency in the trial," lawyer Khin Maung Zaw told Reuters.

"Usually, they have to contact the defendants and need to give the defendants the opportunity to contact their lawyers before they announce their case," Khing said. Reuters was unable to reach the Supreme Court or a junta spokesman for comment.

To note, the charge of violating the Official Secrets Act is the most serious Aung San Suu Kyi has faced and could mean up to 14 years in prison. He appeared in court for the first time since this month's coup on lesser charges, including violating COVID-19 protocols.

No explanation was given for taking the secret case directly to the Supreme Court, whose ruling cannot be appealed.

Suu Kyi is among more than 4,500 people who have been detained since the coup, which has plunged Myanmar into chaos - with daily protests, crippling strikes and a resurgence of ethnic conflict.

For information, data from the Association for Legal Aid for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on Thursday, June 3, said that at least 845 people had died since the military carried out a coup on February 1, or now entering its fourth month.

The Myanmar Coup. The editor of VOI continues to monitor the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Civilian casualties continue to fall. Readers can follow news about the Myanmar military coup by tapping this link.