U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet was amongst several officials to sentence Monday’s conviction of Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s elected leader who was ousted in a Feb. 1 coup.
“It is inappropriate to issue a unilateral judgment on a judgment of a court that is within the internal jurisdiction of a sovereign state. “Such actions constitute interference in the judicial process and internal affairs of Myanmar,” the junta’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Suu Kyi, 76, was sentenced to four years in prison, commuted to two, for incitement and violations of Covid-19 rules, the first of more than a dozen cases against her. She denies all allegations.
Myanmar’s junta says Suu Kyi’s prison sentence has been halved “on grounds of humanity.”
Myanmar’s junta says Suu Kyi’s prison sentence has been halved “on grounds of humanity.”
In the judgment, the ministry stated that everyone is equal before the court and no one is above the law.
Myanmar’s relations with the international community have deteriorated rapidly since the coup and relations with its closest diplomatic neighbors have been severely tested, with the junta ignoring calls to end hostilities against civilians and political opponents it calls “terrorists”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the President of the UN Security Council, the UN Special Rapporteur on Burma, the Secretary-General’s spokesman and the UN Resident Coordinator in Burma.
Referring to Sunday’s protest, during which five people died when security forces drove a vehicle into the crowd, the ministry said state media provided an accurate account of the events, unlike the United Nations, which “deliberately referred to allegations and unverified information available in “Internet,” it said.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is strongly opposed [to] such statements that interfere with national jurisdiction and are based on distorted news,” he said.
Protesters in Myanmar closed businesses and stayed off the streets on Friday as part of a “silent strike” against military rule.
Photos published by Burmese media showed deserted streets and markets in cities across the country, while protesters in the northern city of Shwebo wore black clothes and marched in silence.
“We must send a message to the world about the terrible human rights violations in Myanmar,” protest leader Khin Sandar told the media. “Silence is the loudest scream. We want our rights back. We want a revolution. We express sadness for our fallen heroes.”
Minn Khant Kyaw Linn, a student activist with the General Strikes Collaboration Body protest group, said participation within the “silent strike” was widespread. “You can see how much people hate the junta.”
Meanwhile, the United States was “outraged” by reports that Myanmar soldiers detained and killed 11 people within the northwestern Sagaing region, State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday.
The soldiers were accused of shooting people and setting their bodies on fire. Charred stays were discovered within the village. Video footage purporting to indicate burnt bodies was circulated on social media, and a few media outlets, including news website Myanmar Now, published photos.
Outrage in Burma over alleged massacre of 11 villagers
Outrage in Burma over alleged massacre of 11 villagers
“We are outraged by the credible and disgusting reports that the Burmese military has tied up 11 villagers, including children, in northwestern Burma and burned them alive,” Price said.
Price repeated Washington’s call for the military to finish its violence and release those unjustly detained for the reason that generals took power in February.
The stays were present in a village in Sagaing, an area where there was fierce fighting between security forces and a militia formed by opponents of military rule, in line with residents, who say among the victims were still alive after they were burned.
