Suu Kyi's Sentence Cut, But Her Fate Still Unclear

JAKARTA - Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing has reduced the remaining sentences of all prisoners by one-sixth. This policy also applies to the deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

As reported by Malay Mail from AFP, Thursday, April 30, the decision was announced on Thursday, April 30, coinciding with a national holiday in Myanmar. Min Aung Hlaing's presidential office said the prisoners "will receive a reduction of the remaining sentence by one-sixth".

However, the pruning has not made Suu Kyi's fate clear. A source from the National League for Democracy or NLD, Suu Kyi's party which was disbanded by the junta, said the remaining term of the 80-year-old woman's imprisonment was still unclear.

"We also don't know exactly how many years he has left," the source told AFP. He asked that his identity be kept secret for security reasons.

Suu Kyi has been detained since the 2021 military coup. At that time, the military overthrew the elected government he led. The coup dragged Myanmar into a long crisis and civil war.

After the coup, Suu Kyi was charged with various charges, from corruption to violations of Covid-19 rules. Human rights groups assess that the charges were made to remove her from politics.

The trial against Suu Kyi was held behind closed doors. She was originally sentenced to more than 30 years in prison. In 2023, part of her sentence was reduced through an amnesty, leaving 27 years.

Suu Kyi is widely known as a Myanmar democracy figure. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her struggle against military rule and for encouraging non-violent democracy.

According to a Malay Mail report, this latest cut still does not answer the main question: how long will Suu Kyi be detained. Myanmar's closed judicial system makes it difficult to determine the length of her sentence.

Min Aung Hlaing is now the civilian president after previously leading Myanmar as a military commander. He was inaugurated this month after a highly restricted election that did not involve the NLD.

Democracy monitors say the process is just a new face of military rule. A number of post-coup rule relaxations are also considered more as an effort to improve the government's image.

Previously, Min Aung Hlaing also issued a similar policy that reduced the prison sentences of prisoners. He even pardoned Win Myint, Suu Kyi's chief aide who had served as a ceremonial president.

The move has fuelled speculation that Suu Kyi's detention could be eased. But so far, there has been no certainty.

Suu Kyi is still very popular in Myanmar. But she is almost cut off from the outside world. Her family has also repeatedly warned of her deteriorating health.

This reduction in sentence has given rise to new speculation. But in Myanmar politics, a figure of one-sixth does not automatically mean freedom. The key to the decision remains in the hands of the military-born government.