Aung San Suu Kyi, Aussie adviser Sean Turnell charged under secrets act

The Australian government has demanded Myanmar’s military release Aung San Suu Kyi’s adviser Sean Turnell.

Australian economist Sean Turnell with Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Australian government has demanded Myanmar’s military immediately release detained academic Sean Turnell, as Labor urges Scott Morrison to apply new sanctions against the regime.

Aung San Suu Kyi and her Australian economics adviser Professor Turnell have reportedly been charged with breaking the country’s colonial-era official secrets law.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the Australian economist had been detained with “limited consular access” for almost two months.

“The Australian government continues to consider this to be arbitrary detention,” it said in a statement.

“Australia continues to seek his immediate release and official information about the reasons for his detention both in Myanmar and through the Embassy in Australia.”

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong urged the Morrison government to apply additional targeted sanctions against the military in response to the charges.

“These charges are unacceptable,” Senator Wong said on Twitter.

“Labor again calls for the release of Sean Turnell and other political prisoners in Myanmar.”

These charges are unacceptable.

Labor again calls for the release of Sean Turnell and other political prisoners in Myanmar.

And we call on the Australian Government to apply additional targeted sanctions.https://t.co/2bhuxESdm5

— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) April 2, 2021

Ms Suu Kyi, Professor Turnell and three of her deposed cabinet ministers were charged a week ago in a Yangon court, lawyer Khin Maung Zaw told Reuters.

Earlier, Ms Suu Kyi appeared by video link in court in the capital Naypyidaw, where she faces a raft of charges that could see her barred from political office, the most serious of which is that she received $770,000 in illegal payments and gold while in government.

The hearing dealt with administrative aspects of the case including the formal appointment of eight defence lawyers.

“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s physical condition was good according to the (lawyer who saw her on screen). She was smart and charming as always,” Khin Maung Zaw told reporters.

He later told AFP that Suu Kyi had been accused of breaking an official secrets law in a lawsuit filed March 25.

The newly unveiled charge came amid growing international outrage over the February 1 coup and the military’s subsequent clampdown on protesters that has left at least 535 people dead.

Internet service providers were ordered to shut down Myanmar’s wireless services, provider Ooredoo said Thursday, in the latest move to suppress communication.

Britain announced sanctions on the Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), a conglomerate controlled by the military that Washington has already black-listed.

International powers have sought to pile pressure on the military by hitting its sprawling business interests, which include the country’s lucrative jade and ruby trade.

The junta is also probing the Nobel laureate over allegations she took payments of gold and more than $1 million in cash, but Khin Maung Zaw said these were not likely to translate into formal charges at this stage.

The next hearing will be April 12.

With AFP