VOA标准英语2009年-Trial of Burma's Democracy Leader Hears La

After some weeks of delay, the trial of Burma's democracy icon¹ Aung San Suu Kyi has heard testimony² from the last of only two allowed defense³ witnesses. The trial has been widely criticized as rigged to keep the opposition⁴ and democracy leader locked up.
　
Aung San Suu Kyi (File photo)

The trial of Aung San Suu Kyi resumed Friday in Rangoon with the final defense witness taking the stand.

The defense witness, Khin Moe Moe, argued that the charges against the democracy leader were invalid⁵ because the 1974 constitution she was being tried under was abolished in 1988.

Aung San Suu Kyi is charged with violating the terms of her house arrest for allowing an uninvited guest without official permission.

She could be sentenced to five years in prison.

One of Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyers, Nyan Win, spoke⁶ to VOA after the hearing ended.

He says the hearing took the whole day while the second and last witness from the defense side, Khin Moe Moe, testified and answered questions. He says the prosecutors⁷ spent most of the time arguing against the testimony rather than asking questions.

Aung San Suu Kyi's defense team had requested four witnesses but was only allowed two, while the prosecution⁸ was allowed 14.

The trial has been internationally criticized as a show trial designed by Burma's military government to keep her locked up through next year's elections.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party won Burma's last elections in 1990, but the military refused to honor the results.
　
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks to reporters before his departure from Rangoon, Burma, 04 Jul 2009

The trial resumed a week after the U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, visited Burma to ask that she be released.

However, Mr. Ban was not even allowed to meet with the democracy leader, which he called "deeply disappointing."

Two of Aung San Suu Kyi's live-in assistants and the American man who unexpectedly turned up at her house are also on trial, facing similar jail time.

The trial is set to resume in two weeks when final arguments will begin.

1 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

2 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

8 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。