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Myanmar
Aung San Suu Kyi goes on trial
Article published on the 2009-05-18 Latest update 2009-05-18 09:42 TU
An activist dressed as Aung San Suu Kyi, sits inside a makeshift cell during a protest calling for her release on Monday, outside the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok
(Photo: Reuters)
In Myanmar on Monday, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi went on trial at a prison near Yangon. She is facing five years in detention on charges of harbouring an American man who swam to her home earlier this month.
Suu Kyi's supporters gathered close to the Insein prison where riot police blocked all roads to the compound. After international criticism of the charges, ambassadors from Britain, France, Germany and Italy attempted to gain entry to the prison to attend the trial but were barred. Lawyers say the trial could take anything from one day to several weeks.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for six years and the current period of detention was due to expire at the end of May.
John Yettaw, the US national whom she is accused of harbouring, is also on trial along with two political assistants who live with the opposition leader.
A lawyer, Kyi Win, says Aung San Suu Kyi allowed Yettaw to stay in the house as he was suffering from leg cramps after swimming across the lake.
 Security tight for Suu Kyi's trial |
