Myanmar Bars Detainees From Election Candidacy
This country’s military leaders announced measures Friday that could bar Aung San Suu Kyi and other detained opposition leaders from running in next year’s general election.
A spokesman for the ruling military council in Myanmar, formerly Burma, told a news conference that anyone in detention would not be eligible for candidate nomination, which will take place in December.
“Aung San Suu Kyi and others who are detained or arrested cannot stand for nomination and election if they are not released at the times of nomination and elections,” the spokesman said.
He did not say whether the army would release Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the largest opposition party, the League for Democracy, and its vice chairman Tin Oo, who were placed under house arrest July 20 for up to one year.
The spokesman said the more than 200 parties registered with the Elections Commission must nominate candidates in December.
Diplomats have said hundreds of politicians have been arrested since a renewed crackdown against opposition parties in July and said they doubted elections held under such conditions would be free and fair.
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