The junta judge overseeing the trial of detained leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw has said that he will complete the hearing of the five cases against her within 180 days.
His announcement came on Monday during Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s second in-person court hearing.
“As these cases are simple, the timeline for hearing them is 180 days. Since the cases were filed on Feb. 16, the court will hear the plaintiff’s side until June 28. Therefore, the court proceedings will take place every Monday and Tuesday rather than every two weeks in order to complete the trial process,” said U Khin Maung Zaw, the leading advocate of the ousted State Counselor’s legal team.
Her lawyers said that they met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for 30 minutes before the Monday morning hearing, as well as with President U Win Myint and Naypyitaw Council Chairman Dr. Myo Aung who are on trial alongside her. All three leaders were detained hours before the junta’s Feb. 1 coup.
Six cases have been filed against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, all widely believed to be trumped up charges. They comprise two cases under Article 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law for breaching coronavirus regulations, one case under Article 8 of the Export and Import Law for alleged possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies and other foreign equipment, one case under Article 67 of the Telecommunications Law and one under Article 505(b) of the Penal Code for sedition.
The sixth charge, under the Official Secrets Act, was filed separately at the Yangon Eastern District Court.
The next hearing in Naypyitaw for three of the cases will be on Monday, June 14. The other two will be heard on Tuesday, June 15.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also requested the Naypyitaw judge to allow her to meet with President U Win Myint and Dr. Myo Aung as they are charged alongside her. The judge told the legal team that they needed to speak to the people who detained those leaders, said Daw Min Min Soe, another member of the State Counselor’s legal team.
“We demanded that, following our discussion with Amay (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi),” she added.
The lawyer said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has also given her consent for the legal team to represent her in the sixth case under the Official Secrets Act that was filed against her in Yangon and then referred to the Union Supreme Court last month.
Detained Australian professor Sean Turnell and the former ministers of planning and finance – U Soe Win, U Kyaw Win and U Sett Aung – have also been charged with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for violating the Official Secrets Act.
Her lawyer U Khin Maung Zaw said that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is not yet aware of this hearing on June 23, with the Supreme Court listing the case as one in which the accused will defend themselves.
U Khin Maung Zaw added, “She said that she has not yet received a subpoena for that case. Therefore, she told us to submit a letter saying that she had given us permission to represent her.”
During the in-person meeting, Daw Min Min Soe said that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi “wishes the people to be in good health.”
She has also asked her legal team to help arrange food supplies for her and eight other people detained with her, as well as for her beloved dog Taichito.
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