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.
John Yettaw, who swam to Suu Kyi's home and triggered her arrest for violating the conditions of her detention, was earlier found guilty and sentenced to seven years hard labor. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown led international criticism of the verdict. "The UN Security Council, whose will has been flouted, must also now respond resolutely and impose a worldwide ban on the sale of arms to the regime," he said.
(More Aung San Suu Kyi stories.)