26-7-2023 (YANGON) In a surprising turn of events, Myanmar’s deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, may soon be transferred from her prison in Naypyidaw to home confinement. According to a security official on Tuesday (Aug 25), the military-controlled government plans to grant clemency to prisoners in light of an upcoming religious ceremony. This move could see Aung San Suu Kyi leaving the confines of prison after being arrested on Feb 1, 2021, following the military’s seizure of power.
The news has not been officially confirmed, as information regarding Aung San Suu Kyi remains tightly controlled by the military government. Even her lawyers are prohibited from speaking to the media about her cases due to a gag order. Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to a total of 33 years in prison on various charges that are widely perceived as politically motivated.
The 78-year-old leader’s potential release has been a subject of speculation for the past two weeks, after Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai visited her in prison, making him the first foreign visitor to meet her since her detention. Don conveyed that Aung San Suu Kyi was in good health and willing to engage in talks to address the crisis in Myanmar.
Myanmar has been grappling with deadly chaos since the military’s takeover in 2021 and the ensuing crackdown on armed resistance, which some UN experts have described as a civil war. In response, Western governments, including the United States, have imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military government and called for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other political detainees.
The reported plans to transfer Aung San Suu Kyi come amidst ASEAN’s efforts to mediate an end to the violent conflict in Myanmar. However, the military government has done little to enforce the peace plan forged with ASEAN, leading to the bloc banning Myanmar’s representatives from top-level meetings.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmar’s independence hero General Aung San, has long been an emblem of nonviolent struggle for democracy.
