Suu Kyi Swimmer Heads Home

Sen. Webb: 'What he did was regrettable'

(NEWSER) - While Myanmar activist Aung San Suu Kyi begins another 18 months under house arrest, the American responsible for her sentence is free and has landed in Thailand, reports CNN. John Yettaw, whose release was won by Sen. Jim Webb, was hospitalized for observation in Bangkok. “He had a medical emergency this morning when they read him his orders of deportation,” Webb said. Yettaw had been sentenced to 7 years' hard labor for swimming to the home of Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest at the time. More»

(NEWSER) - Sen. Jim Webb arrived in Burma today and will meet with the leader of the country's junta this weekend, reports the New York Times. The Virginia Democrat will be the highest-ranking American official ever to meet Gen. Than Shwe; the White House said the senator was "not carrying a message from the administration." His visit comes just 3 days after Aung San Suu Kyi returned to house arrest following a widely condemned trial. More»

Myanmar democracy activist gets another 18 months house arrest

(NEWSER) - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been found guilty of violating a security law because an American swam to her house, and will again be placed in house detention for at least another 18 months, Reuters reports. The court handed down a sentence of three years hard labor, which the country's military government cut in half and commuted to house arrest. The guilty verdict was widely expected by critics who say the case was trumped up to keep Suu Kyi out of next year's election. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama issued a sharply worded statement yesterday demanding the "immediate and unconditional" release of Burmese democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi, reports the BBC. Her "detention, isolation, and show trial based on spurious charges cast serious doubt on the Burmese regime's willingness to be a responsible member of the international community," said the president. The Nobel laureate, 63, faces up to five years in prison if found guilty of violating her house arrest after an American invaded her property. More»

Yettaw hoped to post video on YouTube

(NEWSER) - The American who jeopardized Aung San Suu Kyi’s freedom by swimming to the lakeside home where she was under house arrest told the court yesterday he did so because he “had a vision” that Suu Kyi’s life was in danger, the Independent reports. John Yettaw planned to alert Suu Kyi, and hoped to post a video of the pro-democracy activist on YouTube, but she refused to be filmed or photographed, according to the Daily Mail. More»