Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to three more years in prison after a court found her guilty of involvement in election fraud.
The sentencing adds to previous convictions that now leave her with a 26-year total prison term, a legal official has said.
The 77-year-old Nobel laureate, a figurehead of opposition to military rule, faces charges for at least 18 offences ranging from graft to election violations, carrying combined maximum terms of nearly 190 years.
Graft is defined as the act of taking advantage of your political position or government job by taking money or property in dishonest or fraudulent ways.
Suu Kyi has called the accusations against her absurd and denied any wrongdoing.
She is being held in solitary confinement in the capital, Naypyitaw, and her trials have been conducted in closed courts.
The latest charges were related to allegations Suu Kyi accepted bribes from a businessman, said the source, who
declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.
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Suu Kyi received three-year jail sentences on two charges, to be served concurrently.
Opponents of the military say the charges against Suu Kyi are aimed at blocking her from ever getting involved in politics
again or trying to challenge the military’s grip on power since last year’s coup.
The sentence also imperils the survival of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party following the government’s explicit threats to dissolve it before a new election the military has promised will take place in 2023.
Intent to incite, over a letter sent by her party to international organisations while she was in detention, asking them not to recognise a military government. Sentenced to two years in prison, 6 December 2021.
Breaching a natural disasters mitigation law in violating COVID-19 rules while election campaigning. Sentenced to two years in prison, 6 December 2021, and again on 10 January 2022.
Violating import/export law and telecommunications law by possessing unlicensed walkie-talkies and signal jammers. Sentenced to two years and one year in jail, respectively, with sentences to be served concurrently, 10 January 2022.
Influencing the election commission. Sentenced to three years in prison with hard labour 2 September 2022.
Violating the Official Secrets Act. Sentenced to three years in prison 29 September 2022.
At least 11 breaches of anti-corruption law. Maximum 15 years in prison for each.
Misusing funds from the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation that Suu Kyi chaired, to build a home and leasing government-owned land at a discounted rate. Sentenced to six years in prison on 15 August 2022.
Accepting bribes totalling $600,000 (around £550,000) and 11.4 kg of gold bars. Sentenced to five years in prison, 27 April 2022.
Misuse of state funds for lease of a helicopter. Trial ongoing.
Accepting bribes totalling $550,000 (around £500,000) from Myanmar businessman Maung Weik, including a donation to government agencies to benefit his businesses. Sentenced to three years in prison on 12 October 2022.
Suu Kyi’s party won the the 2020 general election in a landslide victory. But the military seized power from Suu Kyi’s elected government on February 1 2021, saying it acted because of alleged widespread voter fraud.
Independent election observers did not find any major irregularities.
Two senior members of Suu Kyi’s former government were co-defendants in the case and also received three-year prison sentences.
