May 18, 2009 (DVB), Two lawyers due to represent Aung San Suu Kyi at her trial today have had their licenses revoked by the Burmese junta for alleged past violations of lawyer ethics.

Central court lawyers Aung Thein and Khin Maung Shein had been preparing to represent Suu Kyi, who today begins her trial for breaching conditions of house arrest following the intrusion of US citizen John William Yettaw into her compound where she has been in detention for the past six years.

Aung Thein said he had received an order notification from the capital Naypyidaw, dated 15 May.

"We [him and Khin Maung Shein] were trying to provide assistance to Daw Suu on her trial but were refused entry into the court on May 14," said Aung Thein.

"On May 15 at 8:15pm, I received the order notification signed by director general U Than Myaing of Naypyidaw main court which stated I was dismissed from my lawyer status.

Aung Thein said Khin Maung Shein also received a similar notification from Naypyidaw.

"Recently the lawyers' council in central court has mentioned us two should be dismissed as lawyers as we recently spent four months in prison under charges for violating lawyer ethnics," he said.

"But there are judges and lawyers in the country who were imprisoned for corruption charges and we see they were allowed to continue with their career after being released from the prison."

Reporting by Yee May Aung