Myanmar reduces Suu Kyi’s sentence as Min Aung Hlaing signs off on mass prisoner amnesty

Myanmar has reduced the prison sentence of detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer said on Friday, in a move that comes alongside a broader prisoner amnesty approved by the country’s new president.

Suu Kyi, 80, had been serving a 27-year sentence for multiple offences that her allies say were politically motivated, including charges ranging from incitement and corruption to election fraud and breaching a state secrets law. Her lawyer said the sentence has now been cut by one-sixth, though it remains unclear whether she could be allowed to serve the remainder under house arrest.

State television reported that President Min Aung Hlaing has approved an amnesty for 4,335 prisoners, the third such move in the past six months. The broadcaster said the release list includes 179 foreign nationals, who will be deported. It also reported that some death sentences will be commuted to life imprisonment, life sentences reduced to 40 years, and that other prisoners will also receive one-sixth reductions, without giving further detail.

The amnesty comes as Myanmar remains gripped by conflict following the 2021 military coup, which removed Suu Kyi’s elected government and triggered nationwide unrest and armed resistance. Rights group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says more than 30,000 people have been detained on political charges since the coup.

Min Aung Hlaing, 69, was elected president by parliament on April 3, formalising his hold on power. At his inauguration last week, he said peace, stability and reconciliation would be his priorities, as Myanmar’s civil war continues to displace millions.

Source: Reuters