Detained Myanmar leader has 18 years remaining on sentence

Aung San Suu Kyi has 18 years left to serve her sentence. The former leader of Myanmar told her son, Kim Aris, this figure during a 20-minute phone call on Thursday. It was their first direct conversation since the military seized power in 2021.

Suu Kyi, 81, was sentenced to 33 years in consecutive trials through 2022. The charges included corruption and electoral fraud. The military later reduced her term. The U.S. and other Western nations have called the original charges fabricated. According to Aris, her first words were a question about his health.

Aris is a 49-year-old carpenter living in London. He described the call as reassuring. "My mother is actually alive and well," he said. Khaing Khaing Soe, a spokesperson for the military-backed president, confirmed the call on social media. The arrangement went through Myanmar's Embassy in London.

Aris said his mother is held in a residence near the capital, Naypyidaw. He believes police and military personnel surround the fenced-off building. It has a garden she can use. "From what I can ascertain, she's basically being held in solitary confinement even if she's not in a prison cell," Aris said. She can read books but lacks access to radio, television, or newspapers.

Health concerns remain a priority for the family. Aris said Suu Kyi sounded strong but suffers from tendonitis in her hand. At times, she cannot use it. She receives a health checkup every six months. Aris is planning to send a care package with a mix of healthy food and treats. He is considering Ben's Cookies, a brand from Oxford where he grew up.

Aris believes the military monitored the call. They avoided sensitive topics like the civil war. He sees the call as an image-building move for Min Aung Hlaing, the current president. Hlaing is traveling abroad to seek legitimacy. "I hope that governments around the world won't be taken in," Aris said. The coup triggered a conflict that has killed about 100,000 people, according to the monitoring group ACLED.

Nay Phone Latt of the exiled National Unity Government said the regime does not dare release Suu Kyi. Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group called her status a valuable card for Hlaing. He said her release is very unlikely and would not end the war alone. The U.S. State Department urged the military to hold genuine dialogue with opposition groups.

Aris said the call may be a one-time event. He noted that his mother believes she gives the people of Burma strength by sharing their experience. The military continues to escalate attacks on civilians while Hlaing remains under U.S. sanctions.