UN chief Antonio Guterres reiterates call for release of Aung San Suu Kyi

NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his deep concern over the final verdicts and sentencing of Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, reiterating his calls for her immediate release.

Last week, CNN reported that a military court in Myanmar sentenced Suu Kyi to a further seven years in prison on charges of corruption, taking her total jail term to 33 years. The court ruling found Suu Kyi guilty of corruption in relation to the purchase, repair and rental of a helicopter during natural disasters and state affairs, the report added. "We've been asked for a comment on the sentencing of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and I can say that the Secretary-General expresses his deep concern over the final verdicts and sentencing of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and reiterates his calls for her immediate release and that of President Win Myint and of all arbitrarily detained prisoners in Myanmar," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for Guterres during a briefing on January 3.

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the principles of equality before the law, the presumption of innocence, and the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, with all the guarantees necessary for a person's defence," he added.

San Suu Kyi now faces a total of 33 years in jail, including three years of hard labour, the source said, meaning she could spend the rest of her life behind bars, according to CNN.

Suu Kyi has previously been convicted of multiple offences, including electoral fraud and receiving bribes, according to sources, CNN reported. She has denied all of the charges levied against her, the report added.

After the Myanmar court sentenced the country's ousted leader to a total of 33 years of imprisonment, UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews said the junta needed "more than words of condemnation" and urged the world leaders to take action.

"The Myanmar junta's 33-year sentence of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi comes a week after a Security Council resolution demanded her release and that of more than 13,000 other political prisoners," Andrews had tweeted. (ANI)

Also Read: Pakistan Taliban issues threat to Shehbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto

Also Watch: