Corruption is Everywhere > Suu Kyi's sentence up to 26 years now

..

Myanmar junta extends jail terms for Suu Kyi, Japanese journalist

Author: AFP|

Update: 12.10.2022 15:20

RTL

A Myanmar junta court has added another six years to ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's prison sentence / © AFP/File

Myanmar's junta on Wednesday jailed a Japanese journalist arrested while filming an anti-coup protest for three more years for violating immigration law, a diplomatic source told AFP.

The sentence came on the same day a closed junta court handed ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi another six years in prison for corruption, according to a source with knowledge of the case, taking the Nobel laureate's total jail time to 26 years.

Toru Kubota, 26, who was detained in July and jailed for seven years last week, was sentenced to an additional "three years imprisonment", a diplomatic source at Japan's embassy said, citing the journalist's lawyer.

Myanmar's junta has clamped down on press freedoms, arresting reporters and photographers, as well as revoking broadcasting licences during its crackdown on dissent since seizing power last year.

Kubota, who was arrested near an anti-government rally in commercial hub Yangon along with two Myanmar citizens, appeared in good health at the hearing on Wednesday, the source said, citing his lawyer.

According to a profile on FilmFreeway, Kubota has made documentaries on Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority and "refugees and ethnic issues in Myanmar".

Kubota is the fifth foreign journalist to be detained in Myanmar, after US citizens Nathan Maung and Danny Fenster, Robert Bociaga of Poland and Yuki Kitazumi of Japan -- all of whom were later freed and deported.

Before the sentence was announced, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told AFP that Kubota "would not be deported at this moment", without giving details.

Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director at Human Rights Watch, said Kubota was being used as a "political pawn" by the junta.

"By imprisoning Kubota, the junta is sending a chilling message to the foreign media to enter at your own risk," he said.

- 'Sham trial' -

Suu Kyi, 77, has been detained since the military toppled her government in a coup in February last year, ending the Southeast Asian country's brief period of democracy.

She has since been convicted on a clutch of charges, including violating the official secrets act, electoral fraud and illegally possessing walkie-talkies.

In the latest case, Suu Kyi was "sentenced to three years imprisonment each for two corruption cases" in which she had been accused of taking bribes from a businessman, the source said.

These jail terms will be served concurrently, the source added.

The businessman, Maung Weik, appeared in a video televised by a military broadcaster last year claiming he had given Suu Kyi $550,000 over several years.

Maung Weik -- who was convicted of drug trafficking in 2008 -- also said he had donated money to senior figures in Suu Kyi's government for the good of his business.

Suu Kyi -- who denies all charges against her -- appeared in good health and will appeal, the source added.

She is currently on trial for five other corruption charges. Each carries a maximum of 15 years in prison.

A spokesperson for Amnesty International slammed the latest trial as a sham that "cannot be taken seriously".

A junta spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Journalists have been barred from attending the court hearings and Suu Kyi's lawyers banned from speaking to the media.

In June, she was transferred from house arrest to a prison in the capital Naypyidaw, where her trials are being held in a courthouse inside the prison compound.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power, sparking widespread armed resistance.

The junta has responded with a crackdown that rights groups say includes razing villages, mass extrajudicial killings and airstrikes on civilians.

More than one million people have been displaced since the coup, according to the United Nations children's agency.

According to a local monitoring group, more than 2,300 people have been killed and over 15,000 arrested since the military seized power.

Turkish Army Stage Coup, Take Over State TV, Impose Martial Law

A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey, July 15, 2016. © Murad Sezer / Reuters

The Turkish military have reportedly broken into the headquarters of state broadcaster TRT. Photos posted on social media show soldiers inside the offices.

After seizing the channel, Turkish Armed Forces broadcast a statement declaring martial law and announcing that they had “completely taken over the administration” with the aim of “reinstat[ing] constitutional order, human rights and freedoms.”

The army also announced that a new constitution would be adopted and a “Peace Council” will now govern the country.

TRT's broadcast cut off after the statement was aired.

This is an astonishing development. Erdogan had been replacing top military personnel with Erdogan-friendly people. There are reports that he was about to replace more. That may be one of the catalysts for this coup. 

Certainly, history has the military replacing governments in Turkey when they became too Islamic. In fact, modern day Turkey was formed by a military coup as Attaturk ended the Ottoman Empire immediately after the first world war.

military presence at TRT

Attaturk determined that Turkey should be governed in a secular manner, not Islamic. The military has held up that ideal for nearly a century. 

I have documented some of Erdogan's attempts to turn Turkey into a Caliphate with himself as Caliph, such as replacing military leaders, jailing journalists who expose corruption and collusion with ISIS, attempting to shut down all criticism all over the world. 

I thought it was too late for the military to rise up, but I am delighted they found a way. It was just a matter of time before Erdogan made a mockery of democracy and established Sharia law.

I am concerned as to what this means for migrants in Turkey, whether they will be allowed to flood Europe or not. I am concerned as to what it means for the Kurds, and I am concerned as to what ISIS will do if there is instability in Turkey. Taking control quickly, as they appear to have done, should help avoid that, but I expect ISIS to try to foment a rebellion.

They just announced that the military council will abide by all international agreements. That is a good sign.