Transferred From House Arrest, Military Regime Throws Ousted Myanmar Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Into Solitary Confinement

Aung San Suu Kyi. (Wikimedia Commons/East Asia and Pacific Media Hub/U.S. Department of State)

JAKARTA - Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from house arrest to solitary confinement in a military-built prison complex in the capital Naypyidaw, a regime spokesman said.

"According to criminal law (Aung San Suu Kyi) has been held in solitary confinement in prison" since Wednesday, military regime spokesman Zaw Min Tun said in a statement, citing CNA June 23.

Since her ouster in a coup last year, Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest at an undisclosed location in Naypyidaw, accompanied by several domestic staff and her dog, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The 77-year-old Nobel laureate left only to attend a trial in the junta tribunal, which could see him sentenced to more than 150 years in prison.

He has been convicted of corruption, incitement to the military, violating COVID-19 rules, and violating telecommunications laws, with courts handing him 11 years in prison so far. Aung San Suu Kyi denies all charges.

Under the previous junta regime, he spent long periods of time under house arrest at his family home in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyers have been barred from speaking to the media and journalists have been barred from attending her trial.

Initially, military regime leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing had allowed Aung San Suu Kyi to remain in detention even though she was sentenced. But on Wednesday, Myanmar's military rulers without explanation ordered all legal proceedings against him to be moved from the courtroom to prison, a source familiar with his case said.

The source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the trial, said the trial would be transferred to a new special court in Naypyidaw prison.

"It was stated by the judge that the new building for the court had been completed", the source added.

Separately, three legal officials said Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyers were notified on Tuesday that the building had been completed and that all remaining court hearings would be held there starting Thursday.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to release any information about his case.

One of the officials said the government intended to put him in solitary confinement after his first sentence last year, but had to wait until new facilities at the main prison in Naypyidaw were completed.

It said Australian economist Sean Turnell, who was an adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi, was being held in the same prison where Suu Kyi was sent.

Turnell and Aung San Suu Kyi are being charged in the same case under the Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years, so both will appear in court in prison on Thursday.

It is known that Aung San Suu Kyi's marathon trial took place behind closed doors with only limited information reported by state media. A gag order has been placed on his lawyer, whose only access is on trial days.

Western countries have called the sentence a sham and demanded his release. The military said he was undergoing legal proceedings by an independent court.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a private organization that tracks government killings and arrests, a total of 11,174 people are currently being held on suspicion of opposing the ruling military council.

The Myanmar Coup. VOI editors continue to unify the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Civilian casualties continued to fall. Readers can follow news about the Myanmar military coup by tapping this link