Myanmar Military Junta Grants Partial Pardon to Aung San Suu Kyi, Reducing Jail Term Amid Strife and Turmoil

‎Myanmar Military Junta Partially Pardons Aung San Suu Kyi

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In a recent development, Myanmar’s ruling military junta has granted a partial pardon to democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi, who was convicted on 19 charges, reducing her jail term by six years. However, she will continue to be under house arrest. The amnesty also led to the release of over 7,000 prisoners across the strife-torn country, amidst the ongoing turmoil since early 2021, when the military overthrew Suu Kyi’s elected government.

The 78-year-old Nobel Laureate, daughter of Myanmar’s independence hero, has been a prominent figure in the fight for democracy. Her conviction resulted from charges ranging from incitement and election fraud to corruption, all of which she denies vehemently and is currently appealing against. Among those pardoned, the charges were relatively minor, including breaching natural disaster mitigation laws during election campaigning.

Former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's jail term reduced after some pardons https://t.co/QSy20SpJ25
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 1, 2023

Additionally, former President Win Myint, who was arrested alongside Suu Kyi, also received a reduction in his jail term by four years but, like Suu Kyi, remains in detention. The junta’s decision to postpone the promised election until August and extend the state of emergency for another six months has raised concerns among critics, who fear the crisis may be prolonged.

While many governments, particularly in the West, have called for the unconditional release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, the recent pardons have been perceived as a “cosmetic move” by some. Observers believe this may be a response to international pressure as neighboring Southeast Asian countries also call for a resolution of Myanmar’s crisis. Thailand‘s foreign minister, Don Pramudwinai, who met Suu Kyi recently, has expressed support for dialogue to address the country’s political situation.

Since the coup, Myanmar has been embroiled in civil war, leading to thousands of deaths and allegations of disproportionate violence by the military junta against those opposing their rule. The coup was triggered by the military’s claim of election fraud after Suu Kyi’s party won a significant majority in the 2020 elections.

Despite efforts to revive diplomatic negotiations, meaningful dialogue with the international community would likely require Suu Kyi’s involvement. However, she has been isolated since her arrest, with limited information about her condition emerging in the past two years. Rights groups have condemned the closed-door, military-run trials against her as a sham.

While some countries have initiated dialogue with the junta, these efforts have faced criticism for excluding Suu Kyi’s party, which won a majority in the elections. The international community continues to closely monitor Myanmar’s political situation, urging for the release of all political prisoners and a path towards resolving the crisis.