Myanmar reduces sentence of Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar’s government has reduced the prison sentence of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer told Reuters on Friday.

Suu Kyi, now 80 years old, is currently serving a 27-year prison term on multiple charges, including incitement, corruption, election fraud, and violations of the state secrets law. However, her supporters claim that the charges are politically motivated, reports Reuters.

Her lawyer said that the government has reduced one-sixth of her sentence. It is not yet clear whether she will be allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest.

Myanmar’s state television reported that the country’s new president, Min Aung Hlaing, has granted amnesty to 4,335 prisoners. This is the third such move in the past six months.

In Myanmar, such amnesties are typically announced annually on Independence Day in January and during the New Year celebrations in April.

Reuters said it had contacted a spokesperson for Myanmar’s military-backed government for comment, but there was no immediate response.

In 2021, Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a military coup, ousting the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup plunged the country into political instability.

Since then, the junta has been led by Min Aung Hlaing. On April 3, he was elected president, although international observers say the election was neither free nor fair.