Myanmar’s Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Too Sick For Court Hearing

By The Irrawaddy 3 February 2022

Myanmar’s detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was too sick to attend court on Thursday, sources have told The Irrawaddy.

They said the 76-year old was suffering from dizziness and nausea.

She faces 17 charges, including 10 for anti-corruption, and up to 164 years in prison. Thursday’s hearing concerned alleged breaches of the Official Secrets Act, which carries 14 years imprisonment.

Detained Australian economic adviser Sean Turnell, deposed minister of planning and finance U Soe Win, his predecessor U Kyaw Win and deputy minister U Sett Aung are co-defendants.

U Soe Win and U Kyaw Win are both being treated in hospital. They have been detained since last February’s coup.

“The court accepts [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s] leave for today’s hearing because she felt ill. We do not know anything else,” the court source said.

It is the second time Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has missed a court hearing. Last year, she took a day off due to motion sickness which sparked speculation that she was being held somewhere remote reached by poor roads.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s location has not been disclosed since the Feb. 1 coup. The junta barred all five of her lawyers from speaking to the media in October and details of the court hearings have since been limited.

Last month she was sentenced to six years in prison on five criminal charges and has since reportedly appeared in court wearing a prison uniform of a white top and brown longyi.

The next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10.

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