Myanmar’s former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi is being hit by the Myanmar junta with “bogus charges” so that she can never take part in the political process again, according to a rights group.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at New York-based Human Rights Watch, said the accusations formed part of a trend of “bogus charges” against Aung San Suu Kyi, “all with the intent purpose of prosecuting her and making sure that she is never free to contest the power of the military regime.”

“They see it as a justification for their coup. They’re using this as an example of why they had to get rid of her and so from their perspective the more charges the better,” he said.

The Myanmar junta claims Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy-led government carried out fraud in the November 2020 elections, using this and their unwillingness to investigate fraud allegations as one of the reasons for the February 2021 coup.

“But you know, she’s already 76. If they give her 10 years or they give her 100 years of time in detention, it’s still going to be the same result because she’s not going to be able to be freed again and certainly not going to be able to assume her position as the elected leader of Myanmar.”

Myanmar’s junta on Friday leveled five new corruption charges against Aung San Suu Kyi, according to a source close to the secret court where she is being tried, bringing the total number of crimes she stands accused of to 16. The charges, which were also brought against former President Win Myint, are related to the purchase and use of helicopters.