A court in Myanmar has sentenced deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to five years in jail after finding her guilty in the first of 11 corruption cases against her.
The Nobel laureate, who led Myanmar for five years before being forced from power in a coup in early 2021, has been charged with at least 18 offences, which carry combined maximum jail term of nearly 190 years if found guilty.
The judge in the capital Naypyidaw handed down the verdict within moments of the court convening, a source familiar with the trial told Reuters. The source declined to be identified because the trial is being held behind closed doors, with information restricted.
The case centred on allegations that Suu Kyi, 76, accepted seven gold bars and cash payments totalling some $800,000 from her protege-turned-accuser, former Yangon chief minister Phyo Min Thein.
Suu Kyi denied the charges, and her lawyers, before they were served with gag orders late last year, said she rejected all his testimony against her as "absurd".
In earlier cases, Suu Kyi was sentenced to six years' imprisonment on convictions of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions and sedition.
It was not immediately clear if Suu Kyi would be transferred to a prison.
She has been held in an undisclosed location, where junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said she could remain after earlier guilty verdicts in other cases.
Australian Myanmar community slams 'ridiculous' verdict
Khin Myo Myint, a supporter of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party in Perth, said the case against her was "ridiculous".
She added a friend of hers — 67-year-old former chief minister of Karen state Nan Khin Htwe Myint — had been sentenced to more than 80 years in prison. The junta later cut that sentence by half.
More than 10,000 people have been arrested and charged since the February 2021 coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
More than 1,000 have been sentenced and some have been sentenced to death.
Suu Kyi has been sentenced for other charges previously, with those sentences later reduced by the junta.
"The pressure from the foreign countries is really very much needed."
She would like to see Australia impose more sanctions against the junta's senior leadership and family members.
"We didn't hear much [from] Scott Morrison or the Foreign Minister condemning these things," she said.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has been contacted for comment.
Military strategy to sideline elected leaders
Suu Kyi's party won a landslide victory in a 2020 general election, but the military claimed there was widespread electoral fraud, an assertion that independent poll watchers doubted.
Her supporters and independent legal experts consider her prosecution an unjust move to discredit Suu Kyi and legitimise the military's seizure of power while keeping her from returning to an active role in politics.
Tun Aung Shwe, the representative to Australia for the National Unity Government (NUG) – an alternate civilian government made up of ousted MPs and ethnic group leaders — said the latest verdict was "very sad news".
He said it was further evidence of the military junta had "no intention for constructive dialogue".
"[They] just wanted to repress the people and then eliminate the anti-coup movement," he said.
He said its strategy was to carry out long, drawn-out court cases against Ms Suu Kyi and other political leaders and jail them until after they held new elections next year.
"They have no involvement in this kind of criminal actions."
Nay Phone Latt, a former official in Suu Kyi's ousted ruling party, said any court decisions were temporary, because military rule would not last long.
"We do not recognise the terrorist junta's rulings, legislation, or the judiciary … the people do not acknowledge them either," he said.
"I don't care how long they want to sentence, whether it's one year, two years, or whatever they want. This won't last."
The international community has dismissed the trials as farcical and demanded her immediate release.
Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch said this conviction and further cases to come amount to a life sentence for Suu Kyi.
"Myanmar's junta and the country's kangaroo courts are walking in lock step to put Aung San Suu Kyi away for what could ultimately be the equivalent of a life sentence, given her advanced age," he said.
"Destroying popular democracy in Myanmar also means getting rid of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the junta is leaving nothing to chance."
The military says Suu Kyi is on trial because she committed crimes and is being given due process by an independent judiciary.
A spokesman for the junta was not immediately available for comment.
Australian still awaiting trial over Official Secrets charges
The nine other cases currently being tried under the Anti-Corruption Act include several related to the purchase and rental of a helicopter by one of her former cabinet ministers.
Violations of the law carry a maximum penalty for each offence of 15 years in prison and a fine.
Suu Kyi is also charged with diverting money meant as charitable donations to build a residence, and with misusing her position to obtain rental properties at lower-than-market prices for a foundation named after her mother.
The state Anti-Corruption Commission declared several of her alleged actions deprived the state of revenue it would otherwise have earned.
Another corruption charge alleging she accepted a bribe has not yet gone to trial.
Suu Kyi is also being tried on a charge of violating the Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, and on a charge alleging election fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of three years.
Australian Sean Turnell is also facing charges under the official secrets act.
"Sean Turnell is a very invaluable asset for the people of Myanmar. That is why the military junta keeps him in jail," Tun Aung Shwe said.
He called on the Australian government to engage more with the NUG, and said the country needed to take initiative in the region, saying an ASEAN five-point consensus plan on Myanmar had made no progress.
"This crisis has a negative impact in the South-East Asia region, Asia and then the wider world," he said.
"Myanmar is located in the heart of the Indo-Pacific region, and then the instability in Myanmar has negative effects on the Indo-Pacific region's stability and peaceful situation."
Reuters/AP with additional reporting by Erin Handley
