The European Union, the United Nations, the United States, and Japan have issued renewed calls for the immediate and unconditional release of ousted State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, following her recent transfer from Naypyidaw Prison to an undisclosed location under house arrest.
The detained leader, who has been held since the military seized power in a February 2021 coup, had her 22-year sentence reduced by one-sixth to 18 years as part of a general amnesty for 1,519 prisoners announced on April 30.
Despite the sentence reduction and transfer, the international community has made it clear that house arrest is not an acceptable resolution.
Calls to free Aung San Suu Kyi
“We continue to call for her immediate and unconditional release,” the U.S. State Department said in a May 1 statement. “We urge the regime to ensure Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has proper access to medical care given continued reports of her poor health.”
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres echoed these demands, pressing for an immediate cessation of violence and a genuine commitment to inclusive dialogue.
Farhan Haq, the U.N. Secretary-General deputy spokesperson, told the press that Guterres “stresses the importance of continued dialogue between all relevant Myanmar stakeholders and his Special Envoy on how the United Nations and its partners, in particular ASEAN, can help support efforts towards a peaceful solution.”
Aris demands ‘Proof of Life’
Amid the heavy secrecy surrounding her new location and condition, Aung San Suu Kyi’s son, Kim Aris, publicly demanded “proof of life” from the military regime, asking for independent verification that his mother is alive and well.
Meanwhile, Beijing has struck a noticeably different tone regarding the crisis. During a press conference on April 30, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian referred to the detained State Counsellor as an “old friend” of the Chinese government.
Reports indicate that China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi may have met with Aung San Suu Kyi at her undisclosed location in Naypyidaw during his visit to the country on April 25, though these claims remain unverified by DVB.
Prison sentence reduced again
Aung San Suu Kyi’s transfer comes shortly after a similar move involving President Win Myint, who was also detained during the 2021 coup. Win Myint was released from Taungoo Prison in the Bago Region during the Myanmar New Year amnesty on April 17.
Their civilian administration, which governed the country from 2016 until the military takeover, was officially disbanded by Min Aung Hlaing’s regime in 2023 as part of an ongoing effort to permanently dismantle the National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
