Aung San Suu Kyi: What’s happening with this Nobel Peace Prize winner?

Myanmar’s judicial court finally delivered a series of verdicts in regards to multiple cases against Aung San Suu Kyi today. A Nobel Peace Prize winner, 76-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi has been facing dozens of cases and has stood on trial for months. Now, she has been sentenced to jail for 4 years, 2 years under section 505(b) and another 2 years under the natural disaster law of the constitution of Myanmar. Most of these charges are against her alleged incitement of the military, along with a catalogue of other incitements. But how did this celebrated Burmese politician find herself in this situation? Here is all you need to know.  

Who is Aung San Suu Kyi? 
Aung San Suu Kyi was regarded as one of the seminal figures to make their mark and inspire change in the conversation surrounding human rights. Her father, General Aung San, is popularly referred to as Myanmar’s “Independence Hero.” In honouring this political pedigree and continuing his legacy, his daughter paved her way as an activist who was unafraid to relinquish her freedom in her effort to challenge the then military-led Burmese political authorities. She was placed under house arrest for several years due to her staunch activism against the Burmese authorities. She was seen as the voice of the voiceless in her country, and was revered for her peaceful resistance. This was further solidified when she received the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1991. 

Suu Kyi’s emergence in politics 
Suu Kyi contested elections in Myanmar in 2015, which witnessed her in a landslide victory. This was Myanmar’s first openly contested democratic election in close to 25 years. Although she was denied a position of power as her children were foreign nationals, she was considered as the de facto head. This means that even if she did not hold a formal position of power, she was Suu Kyi considered as the head. However, her victory was overturned in 2021 as a military-led coup arrested her and took control of the country once again. 

Why was Aung San Suu Kyi antagonised? 
Suu Kyi faced intense criticism from around the world in response to her nationalistic stand on Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis. Her perceived image instantaneously changed around the world as a result of this. However, she continued to be supported by a huge chunk of the Burmese population from her country.