Military Myanmar gov't charges deposed leader Suu Kyi with election fraud, 'lawlessness'

Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Myanmar's official electoral commission said Tuesday that it will prosecute ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and more than a dozen other senior political leaders over last year's election that directly led to the military takeover in February.

The junta and state-run elections commission announced charges against Suu Kyi and 15 other top civilian leaders who were removed during the coup on Feb. 1.

The charges were first announced in the state-run Global New Light newspaper.

Myanmar's military took over the civilian government on claims that the election a year ago was fraudulent and illegitimate.

Tuesday, the elections commission said the charges against the civilian leaders are based in electoral fraud and "lawless actions."

Protesters participate in a demonstration against the military junta in Yangon, Myanmar, on February 8, one week after the military seized power in a coup. File Photo by Xiao Long/ UPI

Among multiple claims, the charges say that Suu Kyi and the others broke the law by assigning election sub-commissions and wrongly adding names to voter lists.

Suu Kyi, 76, already faces a number of charges related to the election and her leadership immediately prior to the Feb. 1 coup, including using unauthorized walkie talkies and violating coronavirus restrictions.

Officials of the junta government have said that new elections will take place in Myanmar within two years.

Many international watchdogs and Western nations have condemned the military takeover and rejected claims that last year's election was illegitimate.