- The military junta in Myanmar has announced that it will reduce the prison sentence of former freedom icon Aung San Suu Kyi as part of a mass amnesty.
- The 78-year-old and former President Win Myint would be partially pardoned, state media reported.
- This means their sentences will be reduced and not a full pardon, reports Myanmar Now.
After the February 1, 2021 coup, the military ousted and arrested the democratically elected de facto Prime Minister Suu Kyi.
A junta-controlled court later sentenced her to a total of more than 30 years in prison for numerous alleged crimes. Win Myint was also sentenced to a long prison term.
Transferred to house arrest a week ago
In particular, Suu Kyi’s prison sentences for alleged violations of the country’s import and export laws and rules during the corona pandemic are to be reduced. The most serious allegations, such as corruption, remain according to the information.
There has been movement in the case since last week: the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner was surprisingly moved from prison to a government building. Before that, for more than two years, there had been almost no information about their exact conditions and condition. Her lawyers had been banned from speaking publicly.
Legend:
REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai announced a few weeks ago that he had been able to meet Suu Kyi in prison. He was the first foreign representative allowed to visit the politician. Details about the conversation were not disclosed.
Military junta is isolated internationally
On Monday, the junta extended the state of emergency for another six months. The generals emphasized that this was necessary due to the unstable situation in the Southeast Asian country. The state of emergency was first declared after the coup and has been extended again and again since then.
Since the coup, what used to be Burma has descended into chaos and violence. The junta uses brutal force to suppress resistance. Internationally, Myanmar is almost completely isolated. Junta members are not allowed to attend meetings of the Southeast Asian community of states, ASEAN.
According to the junta, more than 7,700 prisoners were to be pardoned during the mass amnesty on the occasion of a high Buddhist holiday in former Burma. Since its coup, the army had repeatedly released prisoners on important holidays.