Extract from ABC News
Myanmar's detained former president Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved to house arrest, according to state media. (AP: Aung Shine, file)
In short:
Myanmar's state media has reported that detained former president Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to house arrest.
The report was accompanied by a new photo of Suu Kyi, who has not been seen in years.
What's next?
Suu Kyi's son says the media report did not dispel his fears about her condition and has requested "proof of life".
Myanmar's detained former president Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved to house arrest, according to the military, after five years in prison.
The announcement, broadcast on Myanmar's state media, was accompanied by a photo showing the 80-year-old sitting on a wooden bench in a skirt and traditional white blouse.
It is the first public image of her released in years.
A new photo of Myanmar's detained former president Aung San Suu Kyi was broadcast on state media. (Myanmar State TV)
Suu Kyi has been detained since 2021 when Myanmar's military junta ousted the civilian government she led.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner was serving a 27-year sentence for a range of politically motivated offences, from incitement and corruption to election fraud and violating a state secrets law.
She has not been seen publicly since and her whereabouts were unclear.
The broadcast announcing her transfer said she was moved from the main prison in Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw to house arrest, in a move designed "to celebrate Buddha Day, to show humanitarian concern, and to demonstrate the kindness of the state".
Again, it did not specify her exact location but said she "will now serve the remainder of her sentence at a specific home instead of in prison".
Suu Kyi's son requests 'proof of life'
But her son Kim Aris, who lives in London, said the announcement from Myanmar authorities did little to dispel his fears about her condition or even confirm that she was still alive.
"I still do not know where my mother is. I do not know how she is," he said in a statement.
"I remain deeply concerned about whether she is still alive.
"If she is alive, I ask for proof of life."
In April, Suu Kyi's prison sentence was reduced as her ally, former president Win Myint, was released from jail as part of a mass amnesty.
The latest amnesty announced on Thursday has seen her sentence brought down to 18 years.
United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric welcomed the news.
"We've just seen the reports," he said.
"I can tell you that we appreciate the commutation of Aung San Suu Kyi to a so-called house arrest in a designated residence.
"It is a meaningful step towards conditions conducive to credible political process."
Suu Kyi's legal team said they only found out about the house arrest from the news report.
"It is good to hear that the house arrest has been confirmed but we haven't received any direct notification," a member of her legal team told Reuters.
Reuters/AP
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