Australian economic advisor to Myanmar's ousted leader given 3-year sentence
Aung San Suu Kyi given another 3 years, 3 NLD Cabinet members also sentenced.
Detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to an additional three years in prison on Thursday. Sean Turnell, an Australian citizen who served as an economic advisor during the National League for Democracy-led government, and three NLD ministers were also given three year sentences.
They were prosecuted under the Myanmar Government Secrets Act, according to sources close to the court who requested anonymity for security reasons. The case was based on the contents of Turnell’s computer and some of his documents.
The three ministers prosecuted along with Turnell and Suu Kyi were NLD Government Planning and Finance Minister Soe Win, Deputy Minister of Planning, Finance and Industry Set Aung and the former Minister of Planning and Finance Kyaw Win.
Turnell was also sentenced to a further three years under the Immigration Law but the two charges will be served concurrently.
Suu Kyi has now been sentenced to a total of 23 years in prison for 12 cases.
Bo Bo Oo, MP for Dala township in Yangon region, said the prison terms were illegal. He told RFA sentencing the four was only intended to scare the people of Myanmar and strengthen the position of the junta, the State Administration Council (SAC).
Turnell worked as an economic advisor to Suu Kyi since 2017 under the NLD-led government that was ousted in last year's military coup. He is the first foreigner close to the NLD to be detained since the coup.
Lawyer Gyi Myint said imprisoning Turnell under the Secrets Act is not appropriate because the Australian is an economist officially appointed by the NLD-led Government.
“Sean Turnell was legally hired and paid for his work by the state. How can these people who represent the State break the secrecy laws?” he said.
Turnell was arrested five days after the Feb. 1, 2021, coup. Australia’s then-foreign affairs minister Marise Payne called for his immediate release on the first anniversary of his detention. That call was repeated in June by current foreign affairs minister Penny Wong and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
RFA emailed the Australian Embassy in Myanmar regarding his conviction, but has yet to receive a reply.
The U.N. Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar Nolin Heza also requested the release of Turnell when she met with State Administration Council Chairman, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, in Naypyidaw on Aug. 17. A similar appeal was made by Hun Sen, the prime minister of Cambodia, the current chair of the Southeast Asian regional bloc, but to no avail.
