NAIPYIDAW: The detained former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been transferred to house arrest, according to state media reports.
The 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate had reportedly been held in custody—likely in a military prison in the capital Nay Pyi Taw—since she was removed from power during the 2021 military coup. A statement attributed to junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said her remaining prison term has been “commuted to be served at a designated residence.”
Aung San Suu Kyi rose to power in 2015 after partial democratic reforms, following decades spent as a leading pro-democracy figure under military rule, during which she was previously placed under house arrest for more than 15 years.
State media released an image showing her seated alongside two uniformed officials. However, her son, Kim Aris, expressed doubt over the announcement, saying he had no confirmation that she is alive and questioning the authenticity of the image, which he said was taken in 2022.
He told the BBC that he would not believe the news until independent verification or direct communication was possible. Her legal team also told Reuters they had not received any official notice regarding the reported change in her detention status.
Since her arrest during the 2021 coup, little has been publicly known about her condition. Her lawyers have not met her for over three years, while her family has had no contact for more than two years.
The only publicly seen image of her in recent years was from a 2021 court appearance, when military trials against her began on charges widely dismissed as politically motivated. Her original 33-year sentence has since been reduced on multiple occasions.
(Inputs from BBC/Reuters)
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