A Myanmar court has reportedly sent two close aides of former President Aung San Suu Kyi to jail for terms of 75-90 years.
The two politicians, members of the Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, have been sentenced to 75 years and 90 years after finding them guilty of corruption.
Former Kayin state planning minister Than Naing was on Tuesday convicted by the state court of six corruption charges and given a 90-year prison term, news agency Associated Press (AP) reported.
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Suu Kyi is also being tried on corruption and other criminal charges that her supporters say were concocted to discredit her and legitimise the military’s seizure of power.
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Myanmar witnessed large scale violence and protest ever since the military in that country seized power on February 2 by staging an unprecedented coup and overthrowing a democratically elected civilian government.
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Top politicians in the country including president Aung San Suu Kyi were immediately arrested by the military and put to jail.
Meanwhile, a US journalist detained in Myanmar has been charged with ‘terrorism’ and sedition and is looking at life in prison if convicted.
Danny Fenster, who was arrested as he was leaving the country in May, was hit with the two new charges under the Counter-Terrorism Act and Myanmar’s Penal Code, Al Jazeera reported.
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On the other hand, a human rights group has claimed that Myanmar’s military may have committed war crimes in the eastern Karenni state by arresting humanitarian workers and destroying food stocks meant for conflict displaced people.
“Blocking aid and targeting humanitarian workers in the context of armed conflict are war crimes,” said Ismail Wolff, Regional Director of Fortify Rights.
Meanwhile, the United Nations humanitarian chief urged Myanmar’s military leaders to provide unimpeded access to the more than three million people in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.