Myanmar's Suu Kyi testifies in her official secrets case

Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi testified Thursday in a prison courtroom in the capital for the first time in her official secrets case, a legal official said.

Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the military ousted her government last year, is being tried in Naypyitaw with Australian economist Sean Turnell and three former Cabinet members on the same charge, which is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Suu Kyi denied all the accusations in the case against her and pleaded not guilty, said the legal official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information.

Sean Turnell, an economist at Sydney’s Macquarie University, was an adviser to Suu Kyi.

The colonial-era secrets statute criminalizes the possession, collection, recording, publishing or sharing of state information that is “directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy.”

The exact details of the alleged offense in the case have not been made public, though Myanmar state television, citing government statements, said last year that Turnell had access to “secret state financial information” and had tried to flee the country.

Suu Kyi was sentenced Monday to six years in prison on four corruption charges.

She earlier was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted on charges of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition and another a corruption charge, bringing her total prison term to 17 years. Trials on several other charges are ongoing.

The army’s takeover last year was met with nationwide peaceful protests. After security forces unleashed lethal force against the protesters, some opponents of military rule turned to armed resistance in many areas.