On Monday, ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four years in prison on charges of incitement against the military and breaching COVID-19 restrictions. Deposed president Win Myint was also sentenced to four years in jail on the same charges.
Both later had their sentences halved after they were “pardoned” by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.
Aung San Suu Kyi, 76, has been detained since a military coup ousted her government on Feb 1, ending Myanmar's brief period of democracy. She faces a series of other charges, including violating the official secrets act, illegally importing walkie talkies and electoral fraud.
The junta has continued to crack down on opposition to the coup, with five people killed on Sunday after security forces rammed a car into anti-coup protesters in Yangon.
In April, ASEAN leaders agreed on the need for an immediate end to the violence in Myanmar after an emergency meeting in Jakarta, which Min Aung Hlaing also attended.
Leaders reached a consensus on five points: Ending violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special ASEAN envoy to facilitate dialogue, the provision of humanitarian assistance and a visit by the envoy to Myanmar.
The junta has, however, ruled out allowing an envoy to meet Aung San Suu Kyi.
ASEAN did not invite Min Aung Hlaing to a leaders’ summit in October over his failure to implement the consensus. An ASEAN-China summit in November was also held without a Myanmar representative.
Artmotion Asia
