Updated on Thursday, January 18, 2007, 00:00 IST

Yangon, Jan 18: Military-ruled Myanmar on Thursday accused detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi of tax evasion for asking her family to spend money she received outside of Myanmar.

The official new light of Myanmar newspaper also accused the Nobel peace laureate of accepting money from foreign spies, and insisted that she was not a political prisoner.

The rebuke came less than a week after the veto of a US-led United Nations Security Council resolution urging democratic reform and the release of political prisoners here.

"She avoided paying taxes to the state by asking her family members abroad to spend all her cash awards provided by international organisations and honorariums presented for her works she had created abroad, instead of spending the money in the country," the paper said.

The official newspaper also accused Aung San Suu Kyi of receiving USD 85,000 from a foreign spy organisation, which channelled money "through the absconders and terrorist groups in exile whom she was keeping in touch with."

"It was very considerate of the (Myanmar) government to put only restrictions on her, instead of punishing her in accordance with the law," it added.

"In reality, there is no political prisoner in Myanmar who faces legal action for political offence," the paper said.

"Action has been taken against offenders only, and the persons who have violated the existing laws and disturbed the peace, stability and security of the state," it said.

The United Nations estimates that there are more than 1,100 political prisoners in Myanmar, which has been ruled by the military since 1962.

Bureau Report