Former Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi did not appear for the reopening of her trial on Monday for health reasons, her lawyer told Agence France Presse (AFP).
As head of a civilian government, Aung San Suu Kyi was deposed last February in an army coup, which plunged the country into chaos.
The junta has launched a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests, and its forces have killed more than 1,000 civilians to date, according to a human rights monitoring NGO.
Under house arrest with little outside contact, Ms. Suu Kyi, 76, faces a series of charges that could lead her to prison for more than 10 years.
His trial for violating health restrictions related to coronavirus and for illegal importation of walkie-talkies was to resume Monday after a two-month hiatus.
But Ms. Suu Kyi returned home after a pre-hearing meeting with her legal team because she suffered from “motion sickness,” her lawyer Min Min Soe told AFP. She hasn’t taken the car for two months. That’s why she got motion sickness today […] She said she had to go home to get a good rest ”.
“We are really worried about her health,” added Min Min Soe, according to whom Aung San Suu Kyi is continuously monitored by a doctor and a nurse at her place of residence.
In July, two prosecution witnesses did not appear at the latest hearing after being infected with the coronavirus, in the midst of the third wave of the epidemic in the country.
The former leader and her staff have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 since being taken into military custody, her lawyer told AFP in July.
Journalists are not allowed to attend proceedings against Ms. Suu Kyi, who is also accused of sedition, accepting illegal payments in gold and violating a secrecy law dating back to the colonial era.
She has also been hit with new corruption charges, Min Min Soe said on Monday, although trial dates have yet to be set.
The junta justified its seizure of power as a means of protecting democracy, alleging electoral fraud during the legislative elections in November, won by the party of Aung San Suu Kyi.
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