Suu Kyi cut off from news in five years of isolation

Aung San Suu Kyi has been held in solitary confinement for five years, according to her son. Kim Aris spoke to the 81-year-old former leader for the first time since the 2021 military coup. He said she appears physically strong and mentally sharp. He believes she is surrounded only by military or police personnel.

Aris made the disclosure after a phone call on Thursday. The call took place at the Myanmar embassy in London. He described the invitation as part of a public relations effort by the country's military leaders. Former junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has been working to rebuild diplomatic ties. He switched from military fatigues to civilian clothes in April after widely criticized elections.

The former leader was deposed in 2021 and moved to an unspecified location in the capital. Aris thinks she is in a fenced residence in Naypyidaw. He described the site as having a patch of scrubby land around it. He remains unsure of her exact location but believes she is isolated from the outside world.

Aris said his mother is not allowed newspapers, radio, or television. He called her detention a result of trumped-up, politically motivated charges. He argued she should be free. He noted that the regime has previously used photo opportunities to suggest she is treated fairly. Last week, a government spokesperson released images of her smiling in a wood-panelled room. Officials handed her two gardening books gifted by Britain's King Charles. A paper calendar on the wall behind her showed the date.

Activists have long demanded proof of life for Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. She was photographed during a Red Cross visit in August. Aris said such visual confirmations are familiar stunts. He emphasized that she remains completely shut off from the rest of the world despite these releases.

Suu Kyi led Myanmar's democratic opening after her party won the 2015 election overwhelmingly. She served as state counsellor under a civilian-military power-sharing arrangement. Her international standing suffered after mass killings and expulsions of Rohingya Muslims in 2016 and 2017. At the International Court of Justice, she acknowledged that military units might have used disproportionate force. She defended the government against accusations of genocide.

Aris said his mother was never silent on the Rohingya crisis. He said her comments on the issue could fill volumes. He noted that Myanmar began a domestic inquiry and appointed former UN chief Kofi Annan to lead a commission under her leadership. He described her position as fragile, knowing the military could remove her power at any time. The army worked to undermine her position before the 2021 takeover.