BANGKOK (AP) – Myanmar’s Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to hear appeals of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s convictions and requests for reduced sentences in several cases in which she was charged with corruption, election fraud and violating the official secrets act, a legal official said.
Suu Kyi, 77, was arrested on February 1, 2021, when the military seized power from her elected government.
She is serving prison sentences totalling 33 years after being found guilty in a series of prosecutions brought by the military.
Her supporters and independent legal experts said the cases are an attempt to discredit her and legitimise the military’s takeover, while preventing her from returning to politics.
A legal official familiar with Suu Kyi’s court cases said the Supreme Court has not yet set a date to hear the appeals and requests for reduced sentences but might do so in the next two months.
Suu Kyi’s lawyers, who had been a source of information about the proceedings, were served with gag orders in late 2021.
Suu Kyi has been convicted on a range of charges, including illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition and seven other corruption matters.
Most appeals filed by her lawyers on her behalf have already been rejected.
Wednesday’s Supreme Court’s decision was not publicly announced. All of Suu Kyi’s trials were closed sessions.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of a corruption case in which Suu Kyi was convicted of abusing her position and causing a loss of state funds by neglecting to heed financial regulations. She was sentenced in December to seven years in prison on five corruption charges for granting permission to Cabinet member in her former government Win Myat Aye to hire, buy and maintain a helicopter.
It also agreed to hear a request for a reduced sentence in a case involving the country’s official secrets act. Suu Kyi received a three-year sentence last September after being convicted with Sean Australian economist Turnell and three members of her Cabinet.
The Supreme Court also agreed to hear a request for a reduced sentence in election fraud convictions of Suu Kyi, ousted President Win Myint and the former minister of the president’s office Min Thu. They each received three-year sentences last September.
