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Suu Kyi trial postponed
Irrawaddy - June 12, 2009
The Rangoon North District court on Friday postponed Burmese pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's trial to June 26 in order to hear the testimony of a Suu Kyi's defense witness.
Nyan Win, a member of Suu Kyi's team of lawyers, said that the Rangoon North District Court approved June 26 as the date to hear the testimony of Suu Kyis' defense witness, legal expert Khin Moe Moe,
The Rangoon Divisional Court accepted Khin Moe Moe, female lawyer and member of the National League for Democracy, as a Suu Kyi defense witness on Tuesday.
Suu Kyi was charged with breaking the terms of her house arrest after a US citizen swam to her lakeside residence through Inyar Lake. The lawyer, Nyan Win, said that Suu Kyi was questioning Burma's legal system when he met with her on Wednesday in the government guest house at Insein Prison.
Nyan Win quoted Suu Kyi as saying, "People don't matter. Even U Hla Myo Myint's wife was dismissed from her job. This is an issue that highlights the lack of the rule of law in Burma."
Suu Kyi was referring to the Burmese military government's prompt dismissal of Khin Khin Aye, the wife of Suu Kyi's defense lawyer Hla Myo Myint from her job on June 9.
Khin Khin Aye worked as a senior manger of the Central Cooperative Society under the Ministry of Cooperative.
"In late May she was asked by senior officials about her relationship with Suu Kyi and why her husband, U Hla Myo Myint, was a defense lawyer for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, but on June 9 she was fired without reason," said Nyan Win, one of Suu Kyi's lawyers.
"The government's dismissal of Daw Khin Khin Aye shows that they are putting pressure on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's defense lawyers," he said.
On May 15, Burma's Bar Council revoked the license of lawyer Aung Thein, who normally defends opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Meanwhile, the leaders of France and Germany criticized the junta on Thursday, 11 June, for their attitude over detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
In a joint news conference in Paris, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed their deep concern for Suu Kyi, and they said they are trying to enlist China and India to exert further pressure on Burma.
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