Entrance gate of Aung San Suu Kyi home at 54 University Avenue in Yangon, Myanmar. (Myrmux via Wikimedia)
On May 5, Kim Aris, the son of Myanmar’s former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, expressed concern about his mother’s health and called for international pressure to confirm that she is still alive. He urged the French government to support his request for independently verified proof that the detained Nobel Peace Prize laureate is safe.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who led Myanmar’s civilian government before the 2021 military coup , has been held incommunicado by the ruling junta for more than five years. State-run broadcaster Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV)reported on April 30 that she would serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest at a designated residence in the capital. However, authorities did not disclose the precise location where she is being held.
According to Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer, François Zimeray, Aris was welcomed by the French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and handed over a letter addressed to President Emmanuel Macron. In the letter, he appealed for France to join his call for verifiable proof of life and for the protection of his mother’s fundamental rights. These include proper medical care and the ability to communicate with her lawyers and family members. Aris emphasised that such rights are recognised internationally and should be guaranteed to all prisoners in Myanmar.
He also raised doubts about a photograph of Aung San Suu Kyi circulated by Myanmar’s military information service. The image was undated and thus Aris questioned its authenticity, suggesting it could have been generated using artificial intelligence (AI).
“We do not believe she has died, but it is deeply troubling that she is kept in complete secrecy, in violation of international conventions,” he affirmed.
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