 |  | Russia promises almost $500m to reinforce military bases in Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region, as PM Vladimir Putin visits. |
| About 700 people missing in Taiwan after Typhoon Morakot are found alive but fears remain for hundreds of others. | | Indonesia's most-wanted terror suspect Noordin Mohammed Top was not killed in a shoot-out on the weekend after all, police say. |
New Military Operation Seeks Control of Southern Afghanistan Ahead of Elections
400 US Marines, 100 Afghan soldiers launch operation 'Eastern Resolve 2" Wednesday, in restive Helmand province
More Than 1,000 Taiwanese Villagers Rescued in Typhoon Aftermath
Rescuers search for survivors, deliver relief supplies to Kaohsiung county, cut off from outside world after mudslides washed out roads and bridges
Clinton to Discuss Governance, Corruption in Nigeria 
US secretary of state meets separately with President Yar'Adua, several former Nigerian heads of state in what her Africa deputy calls most important country in Sub-Saharan Africa
| QUOTE OF THE DAY | |
 |  Today’s unjust decision reminds us of the thousands of other political prisoners in Burma who, like Aung San Suu Kyi, have been denied their liberty because of their pursuit of a government that respects the will, rights, and aspirations of all Burmese citizens.  —US President Obama |
Inside the Courtroom |
| By THE IRRAWADDY |
| A reporter’s step-by-step account of what happened at Suu Kyi’s trial on Tuesday from inside the courtroom at Insein Prison. |
New Biopic on Aung San in the Works |
| By THE IRRAWADDY |
| One of Burma’s most famous directors announces plans to make a movie about the life of independence hero Aung San. |
OPINION
Than Shwe Vindicated Again |
| By AUNG ZAW |
| The world was not united in condemning the Burmese junta for imprisoning Suu Kyi—some important players are sitting on the fence. |
Suu Kyi Begins House Arrest amid Outrage |
| By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS |
| Burmese democracy leader awoke at her lakeside home to begin the first full day of her latest house arrest, following her globally condemned conviction that lawyers said they would promptly appeal. |
UNSC Meeting on Burma Remains Inconclusive |
| By LALIT K JHA |
| An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss Burma is adjourned with sharp differences among its members. |
Obama, Clinton Call for Suu Kyi’s Immediate Release |
| By LALIT K JHA |
| The United States joins the chorus of worldwide condemnation of the Burmese military junta’s verdict against Suu Kyi. |
Yettaw Was Just Trying to Help |
| By GRANT PECK |
| John William Yettaw thought he was on a mission from God to save Burma's jailed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But the American ended up inadvertently extending her house arrest. |
UNSC debates court sentence of Suu KyiThe United Nations Security Council on Wednesday will continue discussions on the verdict sentencing Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi by a special court in Rangoon’s... |
US joins global condemnation on Suu Kyi’s verdictUS Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, said on Tuesday that Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, “should not have been convicted” and urged the junta to... |
Editorial, Opinion and Analysis
Opinions on Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence(Opinion) The Rangoon North District court inside Insein prison sentenced pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi today and then commuted the sentence... |
Asia's leaders condemn Aung San Suu Kyi's continued detention(Interview) As Aung San Suu Kyi awaits her fate at the hands of the Burma’s military regime, more Asian leaders are lending their voices to the international ... |
Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence ‘unacceptable’: Amnesty
Amnesty International on Tuesday said the verdict of 18 months suspended sentence handed down to Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, is “unacceptable” and urged...PRESS RELEASE
August, 11 2009
Myanmar: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's new sentence "shameful"
Today’s guilty verdict against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by a court in Myanmar has been described by Amnesty International’s Secretary General Irene Khan as "shameful". “Her arrest and trial and now this guilty verdict are nothing more than legal and political theatre,” added Irene Khan.
On 11 August a court in Yangon’s Insein prison found Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader guilty of violating the conditions of her house arrest, after an uninvited man spent two nights there in early May. Under Section 22 of Myanmar’s State Protection Act of 1975, the court sentenced Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to three years imprisonment, commuted to 18 months under house arrest.
This was less than the maximum five years’ imprisonment allowed by law.
"The Myanmar authorities will hope that a sentence that is shorter than the maximum will be seen by the international community as an act of leniency. But it is not, and must not be seen as such, especially by ASEAN or the UN. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained for over 13 of the past 20 years but should never have been arrested in the first place. The only issue here is her immediate and unconditional release”, said Irene Khan.
Amnesty International also noted that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a prisoner of conscience, is one of more than 2,150 political prisoners in Myanmar.
Background
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentencing comes in the midst of ongoing human rights violations by the military against ethnic minority civilians. In early June the Myanmar army staged attacks and took Karen civilians for forced labour in Kayin State. This resulted in over 3,500 refugees fleeing to Thailand.
