Myanmar’s military will continue to deny ASEAN’s special envoy access to the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, state media reported on Wednesday.
“Any organization shall not be allowed to meet a person who is facing a trial. I believe no country will allow anyone to go beyond the existing law like this,” Soe Win, a junta leader, was cited as saying.
He was referring to Erywan Yusof, who was appointed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) special envoy to Myanmar earlier this year.
The comment comes a day after former US ambassador to Myanmar, Bill Richardson, held talks with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.
Junta-controlled media outlet MRTV said Min Aung Hlaing and Richardson discussed the Covid-19 situation in Myanmar, school openings and vaccine assistance from the US.
Aung San Suu Kyi,76, was arrested hours before the coup on February 1 as the military overthrew civilian leaders and once again put the country under the military regime.
The junta’s judiciary has charged her with 11 offences including sedition and corruption-related offences.
Myanmar has been beset by chaos and violence since the coup. The military suppresses all resistance with brutal force.
According to estimates by the prisoners’ aid organization AAPP, more than 1,000 people have been killed and thousands have been arrested.
