{"id":25008,"date":"2021-02-03T18:14:11","date_gmt":"2021-02-03T18:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=158075"},"modified":"2021-02-03T18:14:11","modified_gmt":"2021-02-03T18:14:11","slug":"aung-san-suu-kyi-reportedly-charged-for-having-walkie-talkies-in-myanmar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/02\/03\/aung-san-suu-kyi-reportedly-charged-for-having-walkie-talkies-in-myanmar\/","title":{"rendered":"Aung San Suu Kyi Reportedly Charged for Having Walkie-Talkies in Myanmar"},"content":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON – Responding to news that Aung San Suu Kyi has been charged with breaching import-export laws for having walkie-talkies in her home, Amnesty International\u2019s Deputy Regional Director for Research, Emerlynne Gil, said:<\/p>\n
\u201cIf these charges are confirmed, they suggest the military is desperate for a pretext to embark on a witch-hunt and intimidate anyone who challenges them.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny such trumped-up charges against Aung San Suu Kyi \u2013 and the dozens of others still arbitrarily detained since the coup \u2013 should be dropped and they should be immediately released.\u201d<\/p>\n
Background<\/strong><\/p>\n On February 3, an NLD spokesperson told journalists that Aung San Suu Kyi was charged for possession of illegally imported hand-held radios, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. She has been remanded in custody until February 15.<\/p>\n Myanmar’s President, Win Myint, has also reportedly been charged for alleged violation of COVID-19 election campaign guideline under Section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law, which carries up to three years in prison.<\/p>\n Since Monday, February 1, the military has imposed a state of emergency under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and has detained scores of elected civilian officials, other senior political figures as well as political activists and human rights defenders.<\/p>\n In a 2018 report<\/a>, Amnesty International named Senior General Min Aung Hlaing among those who should be investigated for responsibility for crimes against humanity perpetrated as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Rohingya population in northern Rakhine State.<\/p>\n A UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar in 2018 has called<\/a> for Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to be investigated and prosecuted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.<\/p>\n\n