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Myanmar authorities again close Suu Kyi trial

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Authorities in Myanmar on Thursday closed the trial of pro-democracy advocate and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi after briefly opening it to 30 foreign diplomats Wednesday. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said Wednesday that he plans to visit Myanmar "as soon as possible" to urge the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. In an interview with CNN, Ban said that he was "deeply concerned" about the detention of "an indispensable patron for reconsidering the dialogue in Myanmar." Suu Kyi went on trial Monday for violating the terms of her house arrest after an American man swam across a lake to her home. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned Myanmar's actions, calling the charges "trumped up" and seeking international support for her release. Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy, has spent 12 of the past 18 years in prison or under house arrest for alleged violations of an anti-subversion law. In 2007, the military government had implied that she might be released after the country's new constitution was approved. In May 2008, the junta announced that Myanmar's draft constitution had been overwhelmingly approved, but the ruling junta at the same time extended Suu Kyi's house arrest for another year.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on May 21, 2009 (boomark / email).