A Myanmar court found democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi guilty Aug. 11 of violating her house arrest by allowing an uninvited American to stay at her home. The head of the military-ruled country ordered her to serve out an 18-month sentence under house arrest.

Aung San Suu Kyi AP PHOTO

The American, John Yettaw, was sentenced to seven years in prison, including four with hard labor.

Suu Kyi has been in detention for 14 of the last 20 years, mostly under house arrest, and the extension will remove her from the political scene while the country holds junta-organized elections next year.

The 64-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate had faced up to five years in prison for allowing Yettaw to stay for two nights after he swam across a lake to reach her.

The court initially sentenced Suu Kyi to a three-year prison term, but after a five-minute recess, the country's home minister entered the courtroom and read aloud a special order from junta chief Senior Gen. Than Shwe.

The order said Than Shwe was cutting the sentence in half to 18 months and that it could be served under house arrest.

Than Shwe's order, signed Aug. 10, likewise reduced the sentences of Suu Kyi's two female house companions to 18 months.

Than Shwe said he reduced the sentence to "maintain peace and tranquility," and because Suu Kyi was the daughter of Aung San, a revered hero who won Myanmar's independence from Britain.

Suu Kyi's trial has sparked international outrage and calls for her release.