Aung San Suu Kyi released from prison after 5 years

After more than five years in prison, Myanmar's junta has transferred ousted pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest. State media reported that the decision was taken as part of an amnesty announced on the occasion of a Buddhist religious festival.

General Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a 2021 Myanmar military coup that overthrew the elected government. In a statement on Thursday (April 30), he said that Suu Kyi will now serve the remainder of her sentence at her designated residence.
A picture published in state media showed Suu Kyi sitting on a bench between two uniformed men—her first public appearance since 2021. 1,699 prisoners, including 11 foreigners, were released under the same amnesty. Many prisoners' sentences were also reduced. As a result, Suu Kyi's 33-year sentence has now been reduced to about 18 years.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the move as positive but called for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Myanmar.
On the other hand, Suu Kyi's lawyers said that they had not received any direct official information on the matter; rather, they learned about it from the media. Lawyers have also been barred from meeting with her since December 2022.
The 80-year-old leader is said to have been suffering from various physical problems for a long time, but due to strict confidentiality, her current health status is not known. It is worth noting that she became a symbol of democracy in Myanmar after being under house arrest for about 15 years from 1989 to 2010.
The conflict that began in the country after the 2021 coup is still ongoing. According to human rights organizations, at least 22,000 political prisoners are currently being held in prison in Myanmar.