Myanmar’s military government said Tuesday that detained former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi is “in good health,” responding to public concern raised by her son, who said he has received no reliable information about her condition and fears she could die without his knowledge.
The statement, published by the junta run outlet Myanmar Digital News, offered no medical records, photographs, or independent verification regarding the 80 year old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has been held since the military seized power in 2021.
Kim Aris, Suu Kyi’s younger son, dismissed the junta’s assurances in remarks to Reuters on Wednesday, saying the military has refused all access that could substantiate its claim.
“The military says she is well, yet they provide no proof,” Aris said. “No recent photograph, no medical confirmation, no access for family, doctors, or international observers. If she is truly well, they can show it.”
Aris said he has not spoken to his mother in years and believes she is being held in isolation in Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital. A spokesman for the military government did not respond to requests for comment.
Suu Kyi was detained after the February 2021 coup that overthrew her elected government and plunged Myanmar into widespread conflict. She is serving a combined 27 year prison sentence following convictions on charges including incitement, corruption, and election violations, all of which she has denied. Rights groups and foreign governments have repeatedly criticised the trials as politically motivated, according to reporting by Reuters and the BBC.
Her prolonged detention and lack of public appearances have fueled international concern about her health, particularly as she advances in age.
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Earlier this week, Aris said he was cautiously hopeful that a planned, multi phase election scheduled to begin on December 28 could lead to some easing of her confinement, possibly through release or a transfer to house arrest.
Myanmar’s military has previously freed high profile detainees during elections or national events. Suu Kyi herself was released in 2010 shortly after a general election, ending a previous period of long detention.
Still, Aris and several foreign governments have rejected the planned vote as lacking credibility, arguing it is designed to entrench military rule rather than restore democratic governance. The junta has accused Aris of attempting to undermine the election process, which would be Myanmar’s first general poll since 2020.
As the vote approaches, questions surrounding Suu Kyi’s health and continued isolation remain a focal point of international attention, with calls growing for independent verification of her condition and renewed access by family and observers.