Ousted Myanmar President Says Army Wanted Him To Quit Before Coup

Myanmar's deposed President testified on Tuesday that the military tried to force him to relinquish power hours before its February 1 coup, warning him he could be seriously harmed if he refused, his lawyer told CNN, Reuters, the Associated Press (AP), and other news agencies

Photo Insert: The testimony of deposed President Win Myint refutes the military's claim that power had been lawfully transferred to them.

The testimony of Win Myint -- his first public comments since he was overthrown -- challenges the military's insistence that no coup took place, and that power had been lawfully transferred to the generals by an acting President.

Win Myint was testifying alongside Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace laureate and de facto government leader before the coup, at their trial on Tuesday on charges including incitement, stemming from letters bearing their names that were sent to embassies urging them not to recognize the junta.

Win Myint, who was Myanmar's head of state, told the court in the capital Naypyidaw that senior military officials approached him on February 1 and told him to resign due to ill health.

"The president turned down their proposal, saying he was in good health," defense lawyer Khin Maung Zaw said in an English-language text message sent to reporters, citing his testimony.

"The officers warned him the denial would cause him serious harm but the president told them he would rather die than consent."

Khin Maung Zaw said the defense rejected the charges against Win Myint and Suu Kyi as they were being held incommunicado. Win Myint and Suu Kyi have both dismissed multiple charges against them as false. The defense lawyer, representing them both, said Suu Kyi had suggested Tuesday's testimony be made public.

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