Myanmar's junta has barred a prominent activist lawyer from defending opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as pressure intensifies on the regime to drop new charges against the Nobel Peace laureate.
Aung Thein said the order revoking his license was issued on Friday, a day after a prison court charged Suu Kyi with breaking the conditions of her nearly six-year house arrest, which is due to expire on May 27. "I went to Insein Prison to be one of the five defense lawyers for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and they issued the order the next day," Aung Thein told Reuters.
Critics of the regime have denounced the trial of Suu Kyi and two female companions, due to start on Monday, on charges stemming from the mysterious visit of an American intruder who was arrested after he claimed to have spent two days at her lakeside home in Yangon.
Suu Kyi, 63, faces up to five years in jail if convicted.
Her lawyers insist she is innocent and did not invite U.S. citizen John Yettaw, who according to state media swam to her tightly-guarded lakeside home using homemade flippers.
Yettaw's motives remained unclear, but he has been charged with various offences, including encouraging others to break the law and "illegal swimming."
Aung Thein, 62, was jailed for four months last year for contempt of court while defending political activists. A close associate who is not involved in Suu Kyi's defense, Khin Maung Shein, also had his license revoked.
"The revoking of his license to practice law is a blatant attempt by the regime to damage the defense for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her two live-in party members," the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said.
The rights group said 11 lawyers remain jailed in Myanmar.
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