{"id":42459,"date":"2021-02-17T01:44:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-17T01:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=163194"},"modified":"2021-02-17T01:44:00","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T01:44:00","slug":"aung-san-suu-kyi-in-good-health-says-myanmar-junta-as-it-lays-new-charges-on-her","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/02\/17\/aung-san-suu-kyi-in-good-health-says-myanmar-junta-as-it-lays-new-charges-on-her\/","title":{"rendered":"Aung San Suu Kyi in \u2018Good Health,\u2019 Says Myanmar Junta as it Lays New Charges on Her"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in court online on Tuesday to face new charges brought against her by the military regime, as growing numbers of government employees refused to go to work in defiance of the junta, whose spokesman said the detained 75-year-old leader is \u201cin good health.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the Feb. 1 coup that deposed the democratically elected government, Aung San Suu Kyi initially was charged with possession of illegally imported walkie-talkie radios found in her home in Naypyidaw, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, police filed a second charge against her for allegedly violating laws on public gatherings amid COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, attorney Khin Maung Zaw told reporters after the hearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe charges are now different from the earlier ones,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In addition to the case on the initial charge for possession of the walkie-talkies, Aung San Suu Kyi has been hit with a new charge under Section 25 Natural Disaster Management Law, which pertains to the willful violation of Myanmar\u2019s COVID-related restrictions on public gatherings and carries a penalty of imprisonment up to three years and a fine, said Khin Maung Zaw<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will take care of both cases,\u201d he said, adding that Aung San Suu Kyi\u2019s next court appearance by video will be on March 1.<\/p>\n

The new charge against Aung San Suu Kyi prompted a comment from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who tweeted: \u201cNew charges against Aung San Suu Kyi fabricated by the Myanmar military are a clear violation of her human rights. We stand with the people of Myanmar and will ensure those responsible for this coup are held to account.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aung San Suu Kyi\u2019s National League for Democracy (NLD) won the Nov. 8 vote in a landslide deemed free and fair by the international community. But the military and its proxy party accused election officials of fraud, and after their claims were rejected, soldiers staged a coup on Feb. 1, arresting her and some 170 others, mostly politicians.<\/p>\n

Aung San Suu Kyi, who has not been seen in public since the coup, is \u201cin good health,\u201d Major General Zaw Min Tun, the junta spokesman, told reporters at the military regime\u2019s first press conference since Feb. 1 coup, where he attempted to defend the legality of the coup.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commander-in-chief can take over state power in accordance with the constitution if an emergency situation arises by insurrection or threats by force leading to disintegration of the union and the unity of the national races or endangers endangered,\u201d said Zaw Min Tun.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Tatmadaw has issued several statements following the coup, and you can see all the explanations about the legality in those statements,\u201d Zaw Min Tun said, using the Burmese name for the Myanmar military.<\/p>\n

He blamed protesters for incidents of violence and shootings, saying security forces have fired only rubber bullets at protesters who attack them by throwing rocks or other items.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t put restrictions on everything. There are restrictions only on certain situations,\u201d Zaw Min Tun said. \u201cPolice and other security personnel are carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with their manuals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Just for propaganda\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The junta\u2019s first news conference since the coup after 10 days of large and noisy street protests across the country, drew largely negative reviews.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese news conferences are just for propaganda, and I do not believe in them or their news agencies,\u201d said Sai Tun Aye, a central executive committee member of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy party.<\/p>\n

Soe Nyunt Lwin, Shan state\u2019s planning and finance minister, said, \u201cIt was the same policies all along. Accusations against the people, the kinds of replies that are unacceptable to the people, the same usual things as before. We were very disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Political analyst Than Soe Naing said the regime has showed on state TV only videos of protesters who attacked police, rather than the nonviolent and well-organized demonstrations that have prevailed in every major city.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite the nationwide peaceful protests by hundreds of thousands of people, they showed only some episodes where a few people were throwing rocks at the police,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is so ridiculous that the peaceful protesters were accused of being violent perpetrators. The real violent perpetrators are the security forces.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the regime is amending a cyber law to control anti-military comments on social media, in a move that will suppress freedom of the press and freedom of expression, analysts and legal experts said. They said the law\u2019s harsher punishments for violators were unjust and violated personal freedom.<\/p>\n

It was originally reported last week that the junta was working on a new cybersecurity bill after information was leaked online, but so far it is amending the Electronic Transaction Law, which was enacted in 2004 and was used to crack down on activists, political dissidents, and independent media during 2007 Saffron Revolution, a Buddhist monk-led democracy movement.<\/p>\n

More than 200 civilian society groups and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, a labor union, said that changes to the law will be a setback for digital marketing developments.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2004, they used these laws to file charges against politicians,\u201d said Htike Htike Aung, executive director of the Myanmar ICT for Development Organization (MIDO). \u201cThen later, they reduced the jail sentences to monetary fines. Now in the current law, they\u2019ve reinstated the jail sentences. This means you can get jailed for writing something online.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nay Phone Latt, who was charged under the law after the Saffron Revolution, said that the changes broaden the scope of punishable offenses under the law.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe anti-military movements are now going on not only outside, but also online, and this law is to suppress all the online movements,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have tried to block Facebook, and very soon they will try to block anything that will let the world know what is happening here just like in China.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aung Myo Min, executive director Equality Myanmar, called the revamped act a \u201cvery dangerous law especially when there are political movements going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will cover everyone who writes online any anti-military stuff or urges government employees not to go to work,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s just meant to suppress those writing posts online.\u201d<\/p>\n

High Court lawyer Kyee Myint agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey added the amendments so that the military will get the upper hand,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are now adding new laws to have more control on online writings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Railway workers join protests<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite the regime\u2019s violent crackdowns and tightening grip on power, protesters and campaigners defied the dusk-to-dawn curfew and continued to rally against the junta and appealed to government employees to participate in the civil disobedience movement.<\/p>\n

Military and police forces increased their presence in several locations.<\/p>\n

In some cities, railway employees who joined the civil disobedience movement showed their opposition to the military government by lying down on tracks and blocking trains from leaving Insein railway station in Yangon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe, the staff from the railway engine factory unit of Myanmar Railways, are now protesting as part of the civil disobedience movement,\u201d said a worker at the scene.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trains that are still operational will no longer be our responsibility,\u201d he added. \u201cIn case of mechanical failure or accidents, we will have no responsibility. The top three officials who forced the trains to keep running will be responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than 30 Buddhist monks protested against the military regime by walking from Nga Htat Gyi pagoda in Yangon to the city\u2019s United Nations office.<\/p>\n

In Hpa-an, capital of southeastern Myanmar\u2019s Kayin state, more than 3,000 people protested in front of Myanmar Economic Bank office to appeal to workers to join the civil disobedience movement. They dispersed after the police and military soldiers arrived at the scene.<\/p>\n

In Mawlamyine, capital of neighboring Mon State, more than 10,000 people demonstrated against the military regime. A train scheduled to leave for Yangon was canceled after protestors blocked the track to prevent it from departing.<\/p>\n

Heavy security patrolled the area near Myanmar Economic Bank office in Myanmar\u2019s central city of Mandalay, where the security forces tried to disperse crowds on Monday by firing guns.<\/p>\n

In Pathein of Ayeyarwady region, more than 50,000 people marched in the city in protest against the regime, as police tried to stop them but made no arrests.<\/p>\n

Tens of thousands of people protested in the towns of Myitkyina of Kachin State, Loikaw and Demoso in Kayah state, and Lashio in northern Shan State.<\/p>\n

Authorities have arrested more than 426 people since Feb. 1, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.<\/p>\n

Video of beating goes viral<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a video of police officers beating an unarmed disabled protester in Mandalay on Monday has gone viral online. He was beaten in the head while police arrested nine men protesting near a roundabout in Pyigyitagon township.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the protesters fled the scene when the police came in, but he could not run away since he limps and is partially hearing impaired,\u201d said a witness at the scene. \u201cHe was caught by the police and beaten, but I didn\u2019t hear that they arrested him.\u201d<\/p>\n

The same day, police also cracked down on protestors outside a Myanmar Economic Bank branch in Mandalay\u2019s Myae Tharzan township, with officers using gunfire to try to disperse crowds and attacking reporters with batons and slingshots.<\/p>\n

Police arrested 20 people, but later released them after they signed statement saying that they were not aware of the curfew and ban on public assemblies and pledged that they would not participate in other protests.<\/p>\n

Reported by RFA\u2019s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane and Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

This post was originally published on Radio Free<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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