Myanmar’s imprisoned former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been transferred from prison to house arrest as a precautionary health measure during a heatwave, according to the military government.
Additionally, over 3,000 prisoners have been granted amnesty to observe the traditional New Year holiday this week.
Suu Kyi, 78, and Win Myint, the 72-year-old former president of her deposed government, were among the elderly and infirm prisoners relocated due to the extreme heat, stated the military spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, in a briefing to foreign media representatives on Tuesday evening.
However, this move has not yet been officially announced within Myanmar.
Following a series of significant setbacks in their battles against pro-democracy resistance fighters and ethnic minority guerrilla forces, Myanmar’s military government has moved Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest.
This decision coincides with escalating health concerns as temperatures soared to 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in the capital Naypyitaw.
Suu Kyi, who was serving a 27-year prison term, and Win Myint, serving an eight-year sentence, were both transferred from prison to house arrest due to the intense heat.
The conflict erupted nationwide after the military ousted the elected government in February 2021, leading to Suu Kyi’s imprisonment and the suppression of peaceful protests calling for a return to democratic governance.
Supporters of Suu Kyi and independent analysts argue that the charges against her were manufactured to undermine her credibility and justify the military’s coup.
The military alleged that her National League for Democracy (NLD) Party engaged in extensive electoral fraud to secure a landslide victory in the 2020 general election, a claim dismissed by independent observers.
Despite this, Suu Kyi has been subjected to various criminal charges.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent organisation monitoring arrests and casualties, reports that over 20,351 individuals detained on political grounds since the 2021 coup remain in custody, with the majority yet to face criminal convictions.
Reports indicate that Suu Kyi’s health has declined while in prison. Last September, there were accounts suggesting that she experienced symptoms of low blood pressure, such as dizziness and loss of appetite, yet was denied access to adequate medical care outside the prison system.
While these reports couldn’t be verified independently, Suu Kyi’s younger son, Kim Aris, shared in interviews that he had been informed of his mother’s severe illness.
According to Aris, Suu Kyi has been struggling with gum problems and has had difficulty eating.
Aris, who resides in England, has been advocating for international pressure on Myanmar’s military government to release his mother and other political detainees.
The military government tightly controls information about Suu Kyi, and her legal team is prohibited from discussing her cases with the media due to a gag order.
Additionally, her lawyers have faced obstacles, including the inability to meet with her to receive instructions since December 2022.
It remains unclear whether the recent transfer to house arrest is temporary or permanent, as no official announcement has been made regarding its duration.
Although spokesperson Zaw Min Tun didn’t specify where the released prisoners were relocated, there’s no indication that Suu Kyi was moved to one of her former residences.
Her lakeside house, where she spent many years under house arrest, remains in legal limbo following a failed auction in March.
Before her imprisonment, Suu Kyi was reportedly held in a military safe house within an army base.
State-run MRTV television announced on Wednesday that other prisoners were released for the Thingyan New Year holiday.
However, it’s unclear whether these releases included pro-democracy activists and political prisoners detained for protesting military rule.
According to MRTV, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the ruling military council, pardoned 3,303 prisoners, including 28 foreigners who will be deported from Myanmar.
He also reduced sentences for others. Mass amnesties during the holiday are common in Myanmar.
Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmar’s independence hero Gen. Aung San, spent nearly 15 years as a political prisoner under house arrest by previous military regimes from 1989 to 2010.
Her staunch opposition to military rule made her a symbol of the nonviolent struggle for democracy and earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
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