Trial of Burma's Democracy Leader Hears Last Defense Witness

By Daniel Schearf

Bangkok
10 July 2009

After some weeks of delay, the trial of Burma's democracy icon Aung San
Suu Kyi has heard testimony from the last of only two allowed defense
witnesses. The trial has been widely criticized as rigged to keep the
opposition and democracy leader locked up.

The trial of Aung San Suu Kyi resumed Friday in Rangoon with the final defense witness taking the stand.

The
defense witness, Khin Moe Moe, argued that the charges against the
democracy leader were invalid because the 1974 constitution she was
being tried under was abolished in 1988.

Aung San Suu Kyi is
charged with violating the terms of her house arrest for allowing an
uninvited guest without official permission.

She could be sentenced to five years in prison.

One of Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyers, Nyan Win, spoke to VOA after the hearing ended.

He
says the hearing took the whole day while the second and last witness
from the defense side, Khin Moe Moe, testified and answered questions.
He says the prosecutors spent most of the time arguing against the
testimony rather than asking questions.

Aung San Suu Kyi's defense team had requested four witnesses but was only allowed two, while the prosecution was allowed 14.

The
trial has been internationally criticized as a show trial designed by
Burma's military government to keep her locked up through next year's
elections.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy
party won Burma's last elections in 1990, but the military refused to
honor the results.

The trial resumed a week after the U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, visited Burma to ask that she be released.

However, Mr. Ban was not even allowed to meet with the democracy leader, which he called "deeply disappointing."

Two
of Aung San Suu Kyi's live-in assistants and the American man who
unexpectedly turned up at her house are also on trial, facing similar
jail time.

The trial is set to resume in two weeks when final arguments will begin.