New charges against Myanmar's Suu Kyi

Ousted Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was hit with two new criminal charges when she appeared in court via video link yesterday, a month after a military coup triggered relentless mass protests.

Suu Kyi has not been seen in public since being detained on February 1, and her appearance came as demonstrators took to the streets again across the country in defiance of an escalation of deadly force by the junta.

At least 18 people died on Sunday as troops and police fired live bullets at demonstrators in cities across Myanmar, says the United Nations, which cited its own information.

Suu Kyi, 75, was already facing obscure criminal charges for possessing unlicensed walkie-talkies, as well as violating coronavirus restrictions by staging a campaign event during last year's elections.

She is now also accused of a violation of communications laws as well as intent to incite public unrest, her lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said.

"We cannot say for sure how many more cases Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will face in this period," he said. "Anything can happen in this country at this time."

Ousted president Win Myint is also facing the same intent to incite public unrest charge in addition to coronavirus restriction breaches.

Suu Kyi has reportedly been kept under house arrest in Naypyidaw, an isolated city that the military built during a previous dictatorship.

The military has justified its takeover by making unfounded allegations of widespread fraud in last November's national elections, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won in a landslide.

The generals have hit Suu Kyi with two charges the international community widely regards as frivolous - relating to importing walkie-talkies and staging a campaign rally during the pandemic.

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to streets regularly over the past month to oppose the coup.

While the military has steadily increased the type of force used to try to contain the uprising, beginning with tear gas and water cannons, last weekend's violence saw the biggest escalation.

One person was shot while crouching behind rubbish bins and other makeshift shields, and had to be dragged away by others, with the incident filmed.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a monitoring group, estimated that about 30 people had been killed by security forces since the coup on February 1.

Hundreds of people were also arrested over the weekend with many in Yangon taken to Insein Prison.