A court in Burma has sentenced opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to 18 months in detention, a verdict that drew condemnation abroad and will keep her off the political stage ahead of next year's elections.
The court handed down a three-year prison term for violation of an internal security law. But that was immediately halved on the orders of the military government, which said the Nobel peace laureate could serve the time in her Rangoon home.
"Aung San Suu Kyi ... was found guilty of the charges and I hereby pass the sentence of three years' imprisonment," said the judge, drawing gasps from the courtroom in Rangoon's Insein Prison, where the trial was taking place amid tight security, with at least 2,000 security personnel in the area.
Moments after the verdict was passed, however, Burma’s home minister, Major-General Muang Oo, stood before the court and announced that the junta had decided to reduce her sentence.
Muang Oo said it had taken into account the fact that Ms Suu Kyi was the daughter of Myanmar independence hero Aung San as well as "the need to preserve community peace and tranquillity and prevent any disturbances in the road map to democracy".
The "road map" refers to plans laid down by the junta to move towards what it sees as democracy, which culminate in multi-party elections planned for next year. Muang Oo's intervention appeared at odds with the junta's repeated statements that its judiciary is independent.
Ms Suu Kyi's detention was described as a suspended sentence rather than house arrest, although restrictions placed on her by the junta appeared similar to those of her previous detention.
Critics say the case was fabricated by the military to keep the charismatic Ms Suu Kyi out of circulation ahead of the polls.
Ms Suu Kyi has already spent 14 of the past 20 years in detention.
The latest charges stemmed from a mysterious incident in which an American, John Yettaw, swam to her lakeside home in May and stayed there uninvited for two days, which breached the terms of her house arrest and broke a security law protecting the state from "subversive elements".
Mr Yettaw was sentenced to seven years' hard labour in a parallel trial on three charges, including immigration offences and "swimming in a non-swimming area". He was returned to prison from hospital last night after suffering several seizures. His lawyer has said he suffers from epilepsy, diabetes and heart trouble.
Mr Yettaw, a Mormon, told the court God had sent him to warn Ms Suu Kyi she would be assassinated by "terrorists".
US President Barack Obama tonight condemned Burma for convicting and sentencing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and called for her "immediate unconditional release."
Mr Obama also said in a statement he was concerned about the seven year sentence given to American citizen
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said today he strongly deplored the sentence.
A statement issued by his spokesperson said Mr Ban urged the military government "to immediately and unconditionally release" the Nobel laureate and to "engage with her without delay as an essential partner in the process of national dialogue and reconciliation."
"Unless she and all other political prisoners in Myanmar are released and allowed to participate in free and fair elections, the credibility of the political process will remain in doubt," the statement said.
UN diplomats said it was likely the Security Council would meet later today to discuss the verdict passed for violation of an internal security law.
Reuters