The military’s 2021 seizure of power sparked extensive public demonstrations, the harsh crackdown on which by security forces led to armed opposition and escalated into a civil war.
The son of Myanmar’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi called on France Tuesday to assist in obtaining independently verified evidence of his mother’s well-being after she was placed under house arrest, according to her legal representatives.
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The country’s junta leader turned president, Min Aung Hlaing, ordered on Thursday the relocation of the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, five years after her initial detention following the 2021 military coup.
However, her son Kim Aris stated he still has no communication from his mother, who retains widespread support within Myanmar.
“I urge France to join my appeal so that we can secure independently authenticated proof of life and guarantee her essential rights: adequate medical treatment, as well as access to her legal counsel and family,” he said in a letter addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s attorney, Francois Zimeray, reported that Aris delivered the letter to France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot during a meeting on Tuesday.
“We have received no verification of life, no recent photographs, nor any confirmation of her transfer over the years. Her exact location remains unknown,” he told the AFP news agency.
The office of Min Aung Hlaing released an undated photo on Thursday which seemingly depicts Suu Kyi seated between two uniformed men.
“However, there is uncertainty whether the image is authentic or generated by AI,” Zimeray remarked.
Another lawyer representing Suu Kyi, Catalina de la Sota, commented: “It’s unimaginable that she is no longer alive, but the complete secrecy surrounding her detention breaches all international protocols. Her health is a cause for concern.”
At the meeting, Barrot affirmed that “France continues to advocate for the swift and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi,” according to the foreign ministry.
The 2021 military seizure ignited widespread protests, and the brutal repression by security forces provoked an armed insurgency that has now evolved into a civil conflict.
Ethnic minority militias and popular defense groups aligned with Myanmar’s principal opposition command substantial territory, while the military controls much of central Myanmar and major cities including the capital, Naypyidaw.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, violence against civilians intensified to unprecedented levels in 2024, resulting in the deadliest civilian toll since the military takeover amid its weakening hold on power.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which documents arrests and fatalities related to military repression, reported last year that over 6,239 people had been killed and 28,444 detained since the coup.
The actual fatality count is likely higher, as the organization does not typically record deaths among military forces and faces challenges verifying cases in inaccessible regions.
Millions have been driven from their homes across the Southeast Asian nation, which has a population near 50 million.
Fuentes adicionales • AFP