Myanmar authorities have moved 80-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi from prison to house detention after being held since the 2021 military coup, while her son remains skeptical, saying there is no evidence confirming she is truly safe yet.
On 30 April 2026 GMT+7, Myanmar's military government released images of Aung San Suu Kyi, the former civilian leader and democracy advocate, and announced she had been moved back to house detention in Yangon after being held since the military seized power in 2021.
Official media reported that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military government, signed a commutation order for Aung San Suu Kyi, stating she would serve the remainder of her sentence at a designated residence. Previously, many believed she was held in a military prison in Naypyidaw since her arrest during the 2021 coup.
Recently, military government media released photos showing Aung San Suu Kyi sitting alongside two uniformed officers, marking the first images published in years amid scarce information about her health or living conditions.
However, Kim Aris, Aung San Suu Kyi's son, told the BBC he remains unconvinced by the announcement and suspects the images might be from 2022. He said he hopes the news is true but so far there is no proof his mother has actually been moved or is alive and safe. He added he has not had contact with her for many years.
Meanwhile, Aung San Suu Kyi's legal team stated they have not yet received any official notification regarding her transfer.
Aung San Suu Kyi rose to power after her National League for Democracy (NLD) party won the 2015 elections, following Myanmar's opening and democratic reforms. She was ousted in the 2021 military coup and has faced multiple charges viewed internationally as politically motivated. Over the years, her prison sentences have been reduced multiple times from a total exceeding 30 years.
Analysts suggest the recent release of her images may indicate the military government is preparing to ease her status further amid efforts to reduce international pressure, as Myanmar faces heavy criticism over human rights abuses and crackdowns on anti-military opposition.
Source: BBC