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Military court in Myanmar delays verdicts against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi

Pro-democracy activists demonstrate in support of Myanmar during an anti-China rally in front of the Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan, on May 19. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI
1 of 5 | Pro-democracy activists demonstrate in support of Myanmar during an anti-China rally in front of the Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan, on May 19. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- A military-controlled court in Myanmar postponed verdicts that were supposed to come on Monday against deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi for allegedly breaking the law by importing illegal communications devices.

Suu Kyi, who's been in military custody since she and other government leaders were removed in the Feb. 1 coup, faces two charges of illegally possessing imported walkie-talkies that prosecutors say were seized during a raid on her home.

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Suu Kyi was charged immediately after the junta takeover in February.

On Monday, Myanmar judge Maung Maung Lwin said the verdicts on both charges will be delayed until Jan. 10, but did not give a reason for the postponement.

Suu Kyi has been charged with numerous criminal offenses since the military coup, including the walkie talkie counts and for violating COVID-19 protocols. Critics have contended that the charges are manufactured in an effort to imprison the former leader and justify the junta's takeover of the government.

Earlier this month, a Myanmar court sentenced Suu Kyi to four years in prison on the charges of violating the COVID-19 safety rules.

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The coup, the military says, was the result of a fraudulent election a year ago that kept Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy Party in power. She and the party won in a landslide over the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. Most Western nations, including the United States, have dismissed the junta's claims of electoral fraud.

Suu Kyi, 76, faces a total of 11 criminal cases so far, which include charges of corruption and violating the Official Secrets Act.

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