Hague attacks Aung San Suu Kyi detention

William Hague has described the decision to extend the detention of the Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi as an attempt to “suppress democracy”.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been illegally detained by the Burmese authorities for 14 of the last 20 years.

And William, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, attacked the decision by a Burmese court to sentence her to an additional 18 months' house arrest:

“Today’s verdict is an entirely politically motivated move intended to suppress democracy and shut off this courageous woman and leader from her people and confirms that the election scheduled for next year would be no more than a sham.”

William said he supported the EU agreement to impose tough new sanctions on the regime in Burma, including a ban on all new investment and sanctions on financial transactions.

And he called on the EU to support a commission of inquiry to establish if the Burmese generals are guilty of committing crimes against humanity and if they should ultimately face trial by the ICC.