Myanmar Court Delays Verdict in Aung San Suu Kyi Trial
Ousted leader of civilian government facing possible conviction in a second case involving illegal possession of walkie-talkies. 
A verdict in the trial of Myanmar’s ousted de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on charges of illegally importing and possessing portable two-way radios has been postponed until January 10. A court was expected to deliver the verdict Monday, but no reason was given for the delay. The charges of possessing the two-way radios, commonly known as walkie-talkies, are among the numerous charges leveled against the 76-year-old Suu Kyi since she and her civilian government were ousted by the military February 1. She was convicted earlier this month for inciting public unrest and violating the country’s Natural Disaster Management Law for breaking COVID-19 restrictions while campaigning during last year’s parliamentary elections. She was initially sentenced to four years in prison, but junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing cut it in half. Suu Kyi is also charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act, inciting public unrest, misusing land for her charitable foundation, and accepting illegal payments of $600,000 in cash plus 11 kilograms of gold. She potentially faces 100 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won the November 2020 general elections in a landslide over the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. The junta claimed widespread electoral fraud in the elections as its reason for toppling the civilian government and invalidating the results. The civilian electoral commission denied the allegations before it was disbanded. Suu Kyi, who led the ousted government as state counselor, President Win Myint and other high-ranking officials have been jailed since the coup. Violent clashes between the military and citizens who have staged mass demonstrations against the junta have left nearly 1,400 citizens dead, according to the monitoring group. Deadly clashes have also broken out between the military and armed ethnic groups across the country.