Former Myanmar leader told son she has 18 years remaining in detention

Former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has 18 years left to serve on her sentence, a figure she shared with her son during a rare phone conversation. Kim Aris, 49, spoke with his 81-year-old mother on Thursday. The call lasted 20 minutes and represented their first direct communication since the military coup in 2021.

Aris, a carpenter based in London, described the call as a reassurance. He reported that his mother asked about his health first and confirmed she is alive and well. Khaing Khaing Soe, a spokesperson for Myanmar’s military-backed president, confirmed the call took place via the country’s embassy in London. Soe posted separate photographs of the pair on social media to announce the contact.

Suu Kyi was originally sentenced in 2021, with consecutive trials in 2022 adding charges of corruption and electoral fraud. Those rulings brought her total sentence to 33 years. Western nations and human rights organizations widely criticized the charges as fabricated. Her sentence was later reduced, leaving the current 18-year term. She is currently held in a residence near Naypyidaw, the capital city.

Aris described the location as fenced off with a garden she can use, surrounded by police and military personnel. He believes she is effectively in solitary confinement. She can read books but reportedly lacks access to radio, television, or newspapers. Aris noted that she suffers from tendonitis in her hand, which causes considerable pain and sometimes renders the hand unusable. She receives a health checkup every six months.

The call occurred as the military-backed government seeks to improve its international image. Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader, was installed as president following a military-engineered election in January. He is currently traveling abroad to build diplomatic legitimacy. Aris believes the military monitored the conversation, which led them to avoid sensitive topics like the ongoing civil war. He compared the event to the 1989 to 2010 house arrest period, when the regime used photographs of parcels sent to Suu Kyi for propaganda.

The civil war that followed the 2021 coup has killed approximately 100,000 people, according to the monitoring group ACLED. The U.N. reports that millions have been displaced. ACLED states the military has escalated attacks on civilians since Hlaing became president. Hlaing remains under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, including the 2016 to 2017 killings and expulsions of Rohingya Muslims, an event Washington declared a genocide.

Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the exiled National Unity Government, said the regime is unlikely to release Suu Kyi because her strength would aid the revolution. Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group described her detention as a valuable bargaining card for Hlaing. He warned that her release is very unlikely and would not end the war on its own.

The U.S. State Department said it remains concerned about unjust detentions and urged the military to hold genuine dialogue with opposition groups. In August, the bureau called for Suu Kyi’s immediate and unconditional release. Aris said the call might be a one-off event. He added that his mother believes sharing her experience gives the people of Burma strength.