Reactions to four-year jail time period for Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar’s deposed chief Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced on Monday to 4 years in jail on expenses of incitement and breaching coronavirus restrictions in a case her supporters referred to as politically motivated.
President Win Myint was additionally sentenced to 4 years after the court docket recorded its first verdicts in opposition to the civilian leaders detained after a navy coup on Feb. 1.
Here are some reactions:
U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS MICHELLE BACHELET:
“The conviction of the State Counsellor following a sham trial in secretive proceedings before a military-controlled court is nothing but politically-motivated. It is not only about arbitrary denial of her freedom – it closes yet another door to political dialogue.”
“The military is attempting to instrumentalize the courts to remove all political opposition. But these cases cannot provide a legal veneer to the illegitimacy of the coup and military rule.”

“This verdict against Aung San Suu Kyi will only deepen rejection of the coup. It will harden positions when what is needed is dialogue and a peaceful, political settlement of this crisis.”
DR SASA, SPOKESPERSON FOR MYANMAR’S EXILED CIVILIAN SHADOW ADMINISTRATION, THE NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT:
“Today is a shameful day for the rule of law, justice and accountability in Myanmar. The brutal military junta has today confirmed that they see themselves as above the law.”
“The global community must further target sanctions against the military, their personnel, the businesses they own, and any known affiliates and intermediaries.”
BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY LIZ TRUSS:
“The sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi is one other appalling try by Myanmar’s navy regime to stifle opposition and suppress freedom and democracy.
“The United Kingdom calls on the regime to release political prisoners, engage in dialogue and allow a return to democracy. The arbitrary detention of elected politicians only risks further unrest.”
ZHAO LIJIAN, SPOKESPERSON, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY, BEIJING:
“As a friendly neighbour, we sincerely hope that all parties in Myanmar will proceed from the long-term interests of the country, bridge their differences under the constitutional and legal framework, and continue to advance the hard-earned democratic transition suitable for Myanmar’s national conditions,” he mentioned in reply to a question at a daily briefing.
JOSEP BORRELL, THE EUROPEAN UNION’S TOP DIPLOMAT
“The European Union reiterates its urgent calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners as well as all those arbitrarily detained since the coup.”
RICHARD HORSEY, MYANMAR ANALYST, INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP:
“The expenses had been ludicrous, designed as retribution in opposition to standard leaders. So the responsible verdicts and jail phrases aren’t any shock.
“No one other than the regime itself will be convinced by this outcome.”
ASEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS:
“Since the day of the coup, it’s been clear that the costs in opposition to Aung San Suu Kyi, and the handfuls of different detained MPs, have been nothing greater than an excuse by the junta to justify their unlawful energy seize.
“This sentencing is additional proof that, for the sake of its personal credibility and future, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) should maintain the road in opposition to this unlawful takeover.

“We continue our call for ASEAN to ban all junta representatives from its meetings, prevent junta generals from travelling in the region, and to engage with the duly-elected National Unity Government.”
MING YU HAH, DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF CAMPAIGNS FOR RIGHTS GROUP AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL:
“The court docket’s farcical and corrupt resolution is a part of a devastating sample of arbitrary punishment that has seen greater than 1,300 individuals killed and hundreds arrested because the navy coup in February.
“There are many detainees without the profile of Aung San Suu Kyi who currently face the terrifying prospect of years behind bars simply for peacefully exercising their human rights. They must not be forgotten and left to their fate.”
AUTHOR AND HISTORIAN THANT MYINT U:
“Removing Aung San Suu Kyi from politics isn’t a by-product of the coup, it was your entire motive for the coup.
“Many within the present era of generals had come to really feel that the reformist ex-generals of 10 years in the past had gone too far of their political liberalisations and had made a selected mistake in permitting her again on the political scene.
“She remains far and away the most popular (figure) in Myanmar politics and may still be a potent force in what’s to come.”
JAPAN FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT:
“The verdict is an unfavourable development as members of the international community including Japan demand an early restoration of the democratic political system in Myanmar, and we are concerned.”