Myanmars former leader Aung San Suu Kyi faces house arrest

Myanmar’s former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved to house arrest, according to state media reports. The move comes as part of a larger prisoner pardon tied to a Buddhist religious holiday. President Min Aung Hlaing announced the change in statement on Thursday, stating that he “commuted the remaining sentence” for Suu Kyi to be served at her designated residence.

Suu Kyi was originally sentenced to 33 years in prison in late 2022 for several offenses. The sentences of remaining convicted prisoners were cut by a sixth as part of the larger pardon, which also granted amnesty to 1,519 prisoners, including 11 foreigners. Suu Kyi’s sentence would now be reduced to 18 years with over 13 years left to serve.

The decision to move Suu Kyi to house arrest was welcomed by the United Nations Secretary-General’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, who stated that it was a “meaningful step” towards a “credible political process”. The UN reiterated its call for the “swift release” of all political prisoners in Myanmar.

Suu Kyi has been serving her prison term at an undisclosed location in Naypyitaw since 2022. Her health has been reported to be declining, with low blood pressure and heart problems, but these claims have not been independently verified. Suu Kyi’s legal team has not been allowed to meet her in person since December 2022.

The move comes after a second amnesty was granted to Suu Kyi in recent weeks, following an earlier one on April 17 that saw over 4,500 prisoners released. The amnesties were announced by President Min Aung Hlaing as part of his government’s efforts to promote social reconciliation and justice.

Source: Al Jazeera