Junta closes hearing for Nobel laureate

The Myanmar government went back to barring reporters and diplomats from Aung San Suu Kyi’s trial today, a day after briefly allowing them inside the courtroom for the first time, an official said.

It was unclear whether the junta would again reopen the proceedings. A government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists told The Associated Press that reporters and diplomats would be barred today.

The Nobel Peace laureate, who has been in detention without trial for more than 13 of the past 19 years, is accused of violating the terms of her house arrest after an American man stayed at her home without official permission. The offense is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.

After closing the hearings for the first two days, the authorities unexpectedly opened them Wednesday to 10 journalist and dozens of diplomats. Suu Kyi thanked diplomats for their support and told them she hoped to see them during “better days.”