Myanmar former leader spends five years in solitary confinement, son says
Kim Aris reported that his mother, Aung San Suu Kyi, is mentally sharp but cut off from news and visitors since the 2021 coup.
By Layla Fontaine ·
Aung San Suu Kyi has spent the last five years in near-total isolation, according to her son, who spoke to the former Myanmar leader for the first time since the military coup. The 81-year-old Nobel laureate appears physically strong and mentally alert, Kim Aris said, but she has no contact with the outside world.
Aris received permission to call his mother on Thursday from the Myanmar embassy in London. He described her as being held in a fenced-off residence in Naypyidaw, the country's capital. He noted that she is surrounded by scrubby land and guarded by military or police personnel. He believes she has been in solitary confinement for the entire period since her deposal in 2021.
The former state counsellor is not allowed access to newspapers, radio, or television. Aris called the regime's decision to let him speak a public relations move by military leaders. He said the junta has used similar photo opportunities before to suggest fair treatment of political prisoners.
Last week, government officials released images of Suu Kyi smiling in a wood-paneled room. They presented her with two gardening books as a gift from King Charles of Britain. A paper calendar on the wall behind her showed the current date. Aris viewed the display as a familiar stunt to project stability to the international community.
Min Aung Hlaing, the former junta chief, recently switched from military fatigues to civilian clothes after elections that critics called a sham. He is working to rebuild diplomatic ties. Activists have long demanded proof of life for Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. A Red Cross visit in August produced the only recent visual confirmation of her status.
Aris said his mother remains locked up on politically motivated charges. He argued that global attention to Myanmar has waned since the Rohingya crisis of 2016 and 2017. He noted that the civil war triggered by the 2021 takeover has killed more than 100,000 people. He stated that the country's suffering should not be ignored because of past controversies.
