Suu Kyi asks to meet her lawyers in person

YANGON • Myanmar's detained government leader Aung San Suu Kyi asked a court yesterday to let her meet her lawyers in person as she appeared at a hearing via video link to face charges brought by the military junta that could see her jailed for years.

Ms Suu Kyi, 75, has been detained since the Feb 1 coup and faces charges over various offences, including violating a colonial-era official secrets Act that could see her jailed for 14 years.

She has been allowed to meet her lawyers only via video link and in the presence of security officials and it is not known if she is even aware of the bloody turmoil that has engulfed the country since the military seized power.

"No, we haven't, we could only talk about legal matters," lawyer Min Min Soe told Reuters when asked if Ms Suu Kyi's legal team had been able to talk to her about the protests, where more than 700 people have been killed.

The lawyer said Ms Suu Kyi looked healthy as she repeated a request to meet her lawyers face to face.

The next hearing is on April 26.

"She has been charged in six cases altogether - five charges in Naypyitaw and one in Yangon," Mr Min Min Soe said, adding that the latest charge was under the country's natural disaster management law.

Ms Suu Kyi has also been charged with illegally possessing two-way radios and violating coronavirus protocols. She has also been accused by the ruling military council of bribery.

Her lawyers said the charges were trumped up and they have dismissed the bribery accusation as a joke.

An additional complaint against her was filed yesterday related to the coronavirus rules, Mr Min Min Soe said.

The coup has plunged Myanmar into crisis following 10 years of tentative steps towards democracy as the military stepped back from politics and allowed Ms Suu Kyi to form a government after her party swept a 2015 election.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE