Myanmar - Suu Kyi appeals

Aung San Suu Kyi appeals house arrest to supreme court

Article published on the 2009-11-13 Latest update 2009-11-13 10:56 TU

Aung San Suu Kyi at a meeting with US officials in Yangon, 4 November 2009
(Photo: Aung Hla Tun/Reuters)

Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi submitted an appeal to the supreme court to lift the 18-month extension of her house arrest, ahead of a meeting between Prime Minister Thein Sein and US President Barack Obama at a regional summit on Sunday.

"We submitted the appeal petition to the supreme court,” the head of Suu Kyi’s legal team, Kyi Win, told the AFP news agency outside the court on Friday. “Now we must wait to find out whether the court will agree to hear the case."

It is not clear when the supreme court will announce whether or not it will hear the case. A lower court rejected an appeal last month.

The case is expected to dominate an expected meeting between Obama and Thein Sein at Sunday’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, the first meeting between a US president and a Myanmar leader in 43 years.

Suu Kyi was sentenced to another 18 months of house arrest in August for breaching her previous house arrest after a US man swam to her house in May. This effectively keeps her from participating in elections promised by the military regime in 2010.

The US has shifted gears in its approach to Myanmar, with the Obama administration deciding to engage with the junta leaders, since sanctions have not been successful.

At a regional meeting held in Thailand in October, Thein Sein said Suu Kyi could have a role in national reconciliation ahead of the 2010 elections, but it was unclear if she could actually take part.

Suu Kyi has made advances to the regime, writing a letter to junta leader Than Shwe in September offering to help get sanctions lifted.