Authorities say the ousted leader cannot meet international representatives while serving her sentence.
On Tuesday, Myanmar military government spokesperson Khiang Khiang Soe said the junta had denied authorization for the special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Theresa Lazaro, to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and ousted leader who has been detained since the 2021 military coup.
RELATED:
Military-Backed Party Leads Myanmar’s Contentious Final Election Phase
Suu Kyi, who according to Myanmar’s military was transferred on April 30 from prison to house arrest at an undisclosed location, is serving her sentence, preventing her from meeting with representatives of foreign governments.
Since the transfer was announced, political organizations and family members have demanded credible proof that the 81-year-old Myanmar politician is alive. Only one photograph has been released, showing her visibly thinner and seated in front of two security officers, without specifying when the image was taken.
“Suu Kyi has been prosecuted and convicted in accordance with the law and is currently serving her sentence. Therefore, she cannot meet with international representatives. It may only be possible once she has completed her sentence, if permission is granted. At present, because she is serving her sentence, such a meeting is not possible,” Soe said.
Today, Myanmar people worldwide wear roses to send a powerful message to the world: We will never surrender.
On State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 81st birthday, the junta keeps her whereabouts hidden. This is our collective voice demanding #ProofOfLife and the end of… pic.twitter.com/OfZraKWRgF
— National Unity Government Myanmar (@NUGMyanmar) June 19, 2026
“Suu Kyi’s health is very good. She has no problems or difficulties. She is in excellent health. In addition, she undergoes regular medical examinations,” Soe said.
In 2023, then-Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said he had met with Suu Kyi in prison. She was sentenced to prison on a series of charges brought against her after the 2021 coup, in one of the few known visits.
Philippine Foreign Minister Lazaro visited Myanmar in January and recently said she was preparing another trip to the country, although no dates have been announced.
Lazaro is serving this year as ASEAN’s special envoy for Myanmar, a rotating position that is generally held by the foreign minister of the country holding the ASEAN chairmanship. In 2026, that role belongs to the Philippines.
On Tuesday, Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesperson Dax Imperial reiterated the importance of releasing all political prisoners, including Suu Kyi.
The military coup on Feb. 1, 2021, plunged Myanmar into a deep political, social and economic crisis and triggered a spiral of violence, with the emergence of new civilian militias that have intensified the guerrilla war that has gripped the country for decades.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.