The female former bodyguard of detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi could face six years in prison for alleged incitement and breaching police rules over social media posts supporting the ousted leader.
Cherry Htet, a police second lieutenant, was also charged with breaching police rules after she was charged with incitement, her lawyer U Myint Thwin told The Irrawaddy. Both charges carry up to three years in prison. “If she is not found guilty of incitement she will be cleared of the charge of breaching police rules,” he added.
The 30-year-old was detained on Sept. 23 after being closely surveilled since the February coup. Some sources said she was put under house arrest behind the special branch office in Naypyitaw since the coup.
“We heard she will be given a maximum jail term for each charge,” sources close to her family said.
She is accused of posting: “We miss you, Amay [mother]!”, on March 14, using a popular term for the Nobel peace laureate.
On March 6 she also allegedly posted: “If you do not dare to be outspoken about injustice, keep your mouth shut. Do not say that there is justice.”
She is also accused of communicating with a National League for Democracy lawmaker and receiving information about the civilian National Unity Government.
Cherry Htet receives food and other essentials once a week and can send a censored letter to her family twice a month, according to the sources.
Her roommates, over 10 policewomen, are also closely watched.
In early July, Ko Zaw Naing Win, an aide to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and deputy director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was sentenced to seven years in prison for breach of trust by a civil servant.
On Feb. 3, he posted online that he was resigning after 23 years at the ministry.
You may also like these stories:
Myanmar Junta Cuts off Electricity to Local Businesses
Detained Myanmar Leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Japanese Sword Restored
Myanmar Junta Seizes Homes From Those Tied to NLD, Shadow Govt
