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In detention, Suu Kyi marks birthday

SINGAPORE: Myanmar’s celebrated democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi has marked her 64th birthday in a brief Buddhist style at her “detention house” in Yangon.

Nyan Win, spokesman for Ms. Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), said from Yangon on Saturday that she prayed and offered customary “Indian biriyani” to the security guards on Friday. A few NLD leaders sent birthday cakes but were not permitted to visit her.

The Nobel Peace Laureate is under detention at a “two-storey house” within the premises of Insein Prison but outside the jail. Mr. Nyan Win said “she is free to move about within that house,” where the security personnel kept vigil on the first floor.

She is being tried by the military rulers for an alleged violation of the terms of the latest phase of her house arrest which ended on May 27. There is now a pause in the trial following moves by the NLD to produce testimony by four defence witnesses instead of just two as allowed by a court. The apex court has set June 24 for hearing the defence petition on the number of witnesses. Should the verdict go against Ms. Suu Kyi, her lawyers would be able to lodge appeals up to the apex court and also a special appeal for a hearing by the entire bench of the highest court, Mr. Nyan Win said.

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