Verdict on Suu Kyi's trial to be delivered on Friday

Yangon, Jul 28 (PTI) The trial of Myanmar's pro-democracy
icon Aung San Suu Kyi concluded Tuesday with the court
announcing that its verdict will be delivered on Friday, which
could incarcerate her for up to five years.

"The verdict will be given this coming Friday," Suu Kyi's
lawyer Nyan Win said.

The court, operating from Yangon's Insein prison, made
the announcement after hearing final comments by lawyers for
the 64-year-old Suu Kyi, her two female aides and US national
John Yettaw, in response to closing statements delivered by
prosecutors Monday.

Suu Kyi has been on trial on charges of violating the
terms of her house arrest after Yettaw, an uninvited American
intruder, swam to her lakeside home in Yangon on May 3 and
stayed there for two days.

She faces a maximum five-year jail term if found guilty.

At Tuesday's final hearing of the trial that started on
May 18, Suu Kyi's defence lawyers submitted their concluding
responses to arguments made by the prosecution, an official
source said.

About half of the replies were reasoned by Suu Kyi
herself, Kyodo news agency quoted Nyan Win, who is also the
spokesman for her National League for Democracy, as saying.

He said the defence will proceed as far as the legal
system allows, apparently hinting they will appeal to higher
courts.

Asked about his opinion on the verdict, Nyan Win said,
"I don't want to guess."

Diplomats from Japan, Singapore, Thailand and United
States were allowed to attend today's session.

Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for 13 of the
past 19 years, greeted and thanked the diplomats for their
support when she saw them, the report said.

The trial of Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate and leader of the
National League for Democracy, has aroused widespread
international concern, with world leaders calling on the junta
to release her and other political prisoners.

Suu Kyi was bestowed London-based Amnesty International's
highest award yesterday for her defence of human rights.

At a concert yesterday in Dublin, Ireland, U2's Bono
publicly announced the award, Amnesty's Ambassador of
Conscience Award, before 80,000 cheering fans. The rights
group said it hopes its highest honour would help deter
Myanmar's junta from imposing any harsh new punishments on
her.

Critics see the junta's decision to try Suu Kyi as an
attempt to keep her locked up ahead of a general election
planned for next year. PTI AKJ
DDC