Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is to take a special appeal over her house arrest to Burma’s supreme court after it was last week rejected.

Her lawyers said that the new appeal would go through two stages: acceptance by the court, and then a final presentation by lawyers at the court.

Analysts have said the appeal will effectively be made to junta chief Than Shwe, who is seen as the main architect behind her sentencing. Courts in Burma have been criticised as puppets of the government.

“There will be two judges deciding on [he acceptance] and we [lawyers] are to make an argument statement before them,” said lawyer Nyan Win.

“If they accept it, the appeal will be heard before three judges in [the capital] Naypyidaw. This is the current [legal] system procedure.”

Nyan Win said that judges last Friday only read out the ruling that rejected the previous appeal, but did not give any reasons for why it was rejected.

Suu Kyi has said that last year’s 18-month extension of her house arrest, and the new conditions placed on her house arrest, is unjust. Critics of the ruling junta have said the detention is a ploy to keep her locked up during elections, scheduled for later this year.

International leaders, including UK prime minister Gordon Brown and UN chief Ban Ki-moon, have condemned the rejection last week.

“I welcome the denouncing, because Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is not guilty in this case,” Nyan Win said.

He added that lawyers will meet with Suu Kyi to discuss the special appeal, and are looking to get a copy of the verdict to see why it was rejected.