Informed sources in Myanmar say that Aung San Suu Kyi remains in prison in Nay Pyi Taw, dismissing reports that the former head of the civilian government had been moved to a house, according to The Irrawaddy, an independent Myanmar news outlet.
A “pro-regime media outlet” in Myanmar was the first to report the claim that Aung San Suu Kyi and former president U Win Myint, who have been in custody since shortly after the 2021 military coup, had been moved to new locations, The Irrawaddy said.
An hour later, Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun, a regime spokesman, told the Burmese services of Voice of America and the BBC: “Not only Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Win Myint but also some [other] older prisoners were given necessary care since the weather is extremely hot.”
He did not say anything about prisoners being moved, the report noted.
However, many media outlets in Myanmar and abroad appear to have interpreted the comments differently.
“Informed sources familiar with Suu Kyi and Nay Pyi Taw Prison said she remained there, adding that the regime may have provided air conditioners to protect her and other elderly prisoners from the current high temperatures,” The Irrawaddy said.
Radio Free Asia reported recently that Aung San Suu Kyi, 78, is believed to be in solitary confinement in the Nay Pyi Taw prison in the capital.
Each week, it said, her legal team receives a list of items she needs in detention, which they deliver every Monday. However, they are not allowed to see her when they go to the prison.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained by the Myanmar military since it overthrew her government in 2021. She is serving a combined 27 years in prison on convictions ranging from treason and bribery to violations of the telecommunications law.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate denied all the charges, which her supporters say were politically motivated, but she has lost all of her appeals so far before the country’s Supreme Court.
Media outlets reported that during her months-long trial, Aung San Suu Kyi had suffered dizzy spells and vomiting. She is also said to have been suffering from dental problems while in prison.