Aung San Suu Kyi has been transferred from prison to house arrest in Myanmar following a prisoner amnesty announced to mark a key Buddhist holiday, with authorities also reducing her sentence.
The move was confirmed by state media, which said the amnesty coincided with the Full Moon Day of Kason, celebrating the birth of the Gautama Buddha. More than 1,500 prisoners were included, while sentences for others were cut.
Suu Kyi, 80, has been in detention since the February 2021 military coup led by Min Aung Hlaing, which removed her elected government from power. She has largely remained out of public view since then.
Authorities said she was moved from a prison facility in Naypyitaw to an undisclosed residence, where she will serve the remainder of her term. Her original sentence of 33 years—widely criticised by rights groups—has now been reduced to about 18 years after the latest amnesty.
The development comes weeks after Min Aung Hlaing assumed the presidency, following an election criticised by opponents as a means to entrench military rule. The junta has presented recent amnesties as efforts to promote reconciliation and stability.
International reaction has been cautious. António Guterres described the transfer as a “meaningful step” but reiterated calls for the release of all political detainees and a return to inclusive political dialogue.
However, groups such as Burma Campaign UK said the move appears aimed at improving the military government’s image rather than indicating substantive reform.
Suu Kyi’s detention has remained central to global concern since the coup, which sparked widespread protests and an ongoing conflict. A Nobel Peace Prize laureate, she previously spent nearly 15 years under house arrest during earlier periods of military rule.
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