Myanmar charges Aung San Suu Kyi, giving legal basis to detain her

Police levelled their first formal charge against Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, members of her party said on Wednesday, giving military authorities who staged a coup a legal reason to detain her at least through the middle of the month.

 

The charge — that Suu Kyi was in possession of illegally imported walkie talkies — came to light two days after she was placed under house arrest and appeared to be an effort to lend a legal veneer to her detention, though the generals have previously kept her and others locked up for years.

 

National League for Democracy spokesman Kyi Toe confirmed the charge against Suu Kyi that carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. He also said the country's ousted president, Win Myint, was charged with violating the natural disaster management law. A leaked charge sheet dated February 1 indicates they can be held until February 15.

 

Medical workers have declared they won't work for the new military government in protest of the coup at a time when the country is battling a steady rise in Covid-19 cases with a dangerously inadequate health system. Photos were shared on social media showing health workers with red ribbons pinned to their clothes or holding printed photos of red ribbons.  

 

Before coup, IMF sent Myanmar $350 million

 

The IMF last week sent $350 million in cash to the Myanmar government, part of a no-strings-attached emergency aid package to help the country battle the coronavirus pandemic. Days later, military leaders seized power and detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected officials, in what the US State Depart­ment said on Tuesday constituted a coup. Reuters