Myanmar's Suu Kyi appears in court in person for first time since coup

Published May 24, 2021
Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi attending the start of a three-day hearing on the Rohingya genocide case before the UN International Court of Justice at the Peace Palace of The Hague. — AFP/File
Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi attending the start of a three-day hearing on the Rohingya genocide case before the UN International Court of Justice at the Peace Palace of The Hague. — AFP/File

Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in person at a court hearing on Monday for the first time since her government was overthrown by the military in a February 1 coup, her lawyer told Reuters.

Suu Kyi looked in good health and held a face-to-face meeting with her legal team for about 30 minutes before the hearing, lawyer Thae Maung Maung said.

Suu Kyi, 75, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her efforts to build democracy, is among more than 4,000 people detained since the coup. She faces charges that range from illegally possessing walkie-talkie radios to violating a state secrets law.

The ousted leader "wished people good health" in her meeting with her lawyers and also made an apparent reference to her National League for Democracy party that could be dissolved soon.

"She said the party was established for the people so the party will be there as long as the people are," Thae Maung Maung told Reuters.

Myanmar's junta-appointed election commission will dissolve Suu Kyi's political party for vote fraud in a November election, media reported on Friday, citing a commissioner, who threatened action against "traitors" involved.

The army seized power claiming fraud in an election won by Suu Kyi's party in November. Its accusations had been dismissed by the former electoral commission.

In his first interview with foreign media since the coup, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing had also said Suu Kyi was in good health as he disputed the number of people killed by security forces in protests since the coup.

Myanmar has been in chaos since the army took power, with daily protests, marches and strikes nationwide against the junta, which has responded with lethal force, killing more than 800 people, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group.

Min Aung Hlaing in the May 20 interview said the actual casualty figure was about 300 and that 47 police had also been killed.

Opinion

Editorial

Momentary relief
Updated 10 May, 2026

Momentary relief

THE IMF’s approval of the latest review of Pakistan’s ongoing Fund programme comes at a moment of growing global...
India’s global shame
10 May, 2026

India’s global shame

INDIA’s rabid streak is at an all-time high. Prejudice is now an organised movement to erase religious freedoms ...
Aurat March restrictions
10 May, 2026

Aurat March restrictions

THE Sindh government’s 28-point list of restrictions imposed on Aurat March Karachi is a distressing example of...
Removing subsidies
Updated 09 May, 2026

Removing subsidies

The government no longer has the budgetary space to continue carrying hundreds of billions of rupees in untargeted subsidies while the power sector itself remains trapped in circular debt, inefficiencies, theft and under-recovery.
Scarred at home
09 May, 2026

Scarred at home

WHEN homes turn violent towards children, the psychosocial damage is lifelong. In Pakistan, parental violence is...
Zionist zealotry
09 May, 2026

Zionist zealotry

BOTH the Israeli military and far-right citizens of the Zionist state have been involved in appalling hate crimes...