Myanmar court postpones hearing in Aung San Suu Kyi's trial: Source

Ms Suu Kyi was allowed to miss the hearings at the request of her doctor because she was suffering from dizziness and nausea. PHOTO: AFP

YANGON (REUTERS) - A court in military-run Myanmar postponed a hearing in the trial of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi this week, a source with knowledge of proceedings said on Friday (Feb 4), after media reported the ousted leader had not been feeling well.

Ms Suu Kyi had been due in court on Thursday and Friday for hearings on corruption charges related to the leasing and purchase of a helicopter while in office.

United States-funded RFA (Radio Free Asia) reported that Ms Suu Kyi was allowed to miss the hearings at the request of her doctor because she was suffering from dizziness and nausea.

But the source with knowledge of proceedings, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue, said while Thursday’s hearing was postponed, Friday’s was not and Ms Suu Kyi did attend it.

The source said Ms Suu Kyi’s health was fine on Friday and that the next hearing would be on Feb 11.

Ms Suu Kyi, 76, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is on trial in more than a dozen cases that carry a combined maximum sentence of more than 150 years in prison.

She has already been sentenced to a total of six years in detention for other cases, in legal proceedings derided by her supporters, some Western governments, and human rights groups as a sham.

A new bribery charge was also announced against Ms Suu Kyi on Thursday, accusing of her of receiving a US$550,000 (S$740,000) donation from a businessman, the state broadcaster reported.

Meanwhile, Ms Suu Kyi is also due in court for the beginning of an election fraud trial on Feb 14, after she was accused of influencing the 2020 vote to win a second term in office.

Ms Suu Kyi has previously denied all the charges. Her lawyers have been barred from speaking about her cases.

A spokesman for the junta, which overthrew Ms Suu Kyi's government in a coup in February last year, did not answer a call seeking comment.

The military government has previously said that Ms Suu Kyi would be afforded due process by an independent court.

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