Myanmar's Suu Kyi appeals to top court
- Source: Global Times
- [17:32 November 13 2009]
- Comments
Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's chief lawyer said she launched an appeal to the country's supreme court against her extended house arrest Friday, AFP reported.
Suu Kyi was sentenced to another one and a half years' detention in August after a court convicted her over an incident in which an American man swam to her house in May. An initial appeal was rejected in October.
Her legal team has submitted the appeal petition to the highest court and now they are waiting if the court agrees to hear the case, according to Kyi Win, head of Suu Kyi's legal team. "We hope for the best result," Kyi Win added. The new appeal came as Suu Kyi's case was set to dominate a meeting between US President Barack Obama and the Myanmar junta's prime minister in Singapore at a regional forum to be held on Sunday.
The ruling junta refused to recognize the overwhelming victory of her National League for Democracy in elections in 1990. The extension of her house arrest keeps her away from the national stage for new multi-party elections promised by the ruling generals some time in 2010.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Myanmar to free Suu Kyi Thursday, who is 64-years-old and has been under house arrest for 14 years.
It is expected that Myanmar's Prime Minister Thein Sein will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit Sunday. That would be the first meeting between a US president and a Myanmar leader in 43 years.
