Guilty verdict on Suu Kyi upheld in Burmese court

A COURT in Burma has upheld its guilty verdict against opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a ruling that comes as no surprise but dashes hopes that the Nobel laureate would be free in time for next year's elections. The military government says the elections will be open, but there are widespread suspicions that the generals will keep a tight rein on power. Suu Kyi (64) has been confined in her house for about 14 of the past 20 years, because the military dictatorship that runs Burma sees her as a threat, she is popular among the Burmese people and has a high profile in the international community. Hundreds of other human rights defenders are also imprisoned in Burma.