United Nations rights chief Volker Turk called for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi after the jailed Myanmar democracy icon had her sentence reduced on Friday.
The military has ruled Myanmar by force for almost all of its post-independence history, before a decade-long democratic experiment gave civilian politicians tentative control.
The generals took back power in a 2021 coup that deposed the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, now 80, detaining the democratic figurehead and plunging the country into civil war.
“All those detained unjustly since the coup—including state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi—need to be released immediately and unconditionally,” he said on X.
“There must be an end to the unrelenting violence against all of Myanmar’s people.
Aung San Suu Kyi had her sentence reduced on Friday as part of a mass amnesty, a source close to her legal case told AFP.
Myanmar’s former president Win Myint, also detained since the coup, was also pardoned of his convictions during the post-coup period of military rule, a statement said.
Turk said he was relieved by the “long overdue release” of Win Myint and other prisoners from arbitrary detention, as well as the commutation of death sentences.
UN chief Antonio Guterres stressed the need for “meaningful efforts” to ensure the swift release of all those arbitrarily detained, his spokesman said in New York.
“A viable political solution must be founded on an immediate cessation of violence and a genuine commitment to inclusive dialogue,” the spokesman said.
“This requires an environment that allows the people of Myanmar to freely and peacefully exercise their political rights.”
Win Myint served as president starting in 2018, with Myanmar in the midst of its experiment with civilian government that was abruptly halted by the coup.
While he occupied the top spot, it functioned as a ceremonial role following the lead of de facto government head Aung San Suu Kyi, who was barred from holding the presidency under a military-drafted constitution.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate remains detained, serving a 27-year sentence rights groups decry as a politically motivated move to hobble her National League for Democracy party.
A decade of reporting at a cost
In 2025, we marked the 10th anniversary of Myanmar Now. In Myanmar’s history, journalists are often the first targets during political repression. We founded this outlet during a brief window of stability, starting with a small team in a modest office in downtown Yangon. Our goal was simple: to report on injustices that had been silenced for decades. In many countries, justice is sought through courts and police. In Myanmar, these institutions have historically been instruments of oppression.
From the start, we committed to reporting without discrimination—regardless of ethnicity, religion, or citizenship. We believe our work should be accurate, deeply sourced, and strong enough to serve as a historical record.
We also believe journalism should be a force for positive change, and that our primary readers should be the people of Myanmar.
That belief came at a cost. Members of our team and others associated with Myanmar Now have endured long legal battles, physical assaults, arrests, and torture. Despite these hardships, Myanmar Now continues to report the news—thanks to the resilience of our team, the courage of our sources, and the trust of our readers.
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