Legal News

Trial Concludes in Bizarre Myanmar Case; Verdict Expected Friday

By Ashby Jones

So a strange man from another country shows up at your door, looking fatigued and hungry. He explains that he had a dream that you might soon be killed or harmed in some way, and he needs to save you. Okay, sounds a little wacky, you think. But because you’re a generous and hospitable soul — and the man obviously needs help — you let him in. He stays for a couple days, until his strength returns, then he leaves.

Ultimately, for your graciousness, the state awards you criminal charges attaching a five-year prison sentence.

Judging from press reports, that’s essentially what’s happening to Aung San Suu Kyi, the jailed pro-democracy leader in Myanmar. In May, while seemingly minding her own business while on house arrest, an American named John Yettaw showed up at Suu Kyi’s house. For such transgression, Suu Kyi was charged with violating the terms of her house arrest.

Suu Kyi’s trial ended earlier today, with a verdict to be announced on Friday, reports the Washington Post. Click here for NYT coverage as well. Click here, here and here for previous LB coverage.

According to the NYT, the defense did not contest the facts of the case, but argued that Suu Kyi did not break any relevant laws. Her lawyers say she allowed Yettaw to spend two nights at her house because he pleaded that he was hungry and tired after swimming across a lake to greet her. He was arrested after swimming back across the lake.

Suu Kyi emerged as the country’s democracy icon during a popular uprising in 1988, which was brutally suppressed by the military that has ruled the country since 1962. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on July 28, 2009 (boomark / email).