Myanmar’s junta pardoned Aung San Suu Kyi for some offenses she was convicted of following a 2021 coup, but she will remain in prison as the military government grapples with widespread unrest in the Southeast Asian nation.
(Bloomberg) — Myanmar’s junta pardoned Aung San Suu Kyi for some offenses she was convicted of following a 2021 coup, but she will remain in prison as the military government grapples with widespread unrest in the Southeast Asian nation.
The Nobel Laureate was pardoned for five of the 19 charges leveled against her, the junta said in a statement. Suu Kyi is still under the junta’s custody, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Former President Win Myint was also pardoned for some of the charges, according to the junta statement. The latest move is part of a wider state amnesty releasing thousands of prisoners for “unity among ethnicities and internal peace,” according to a statement from the ruling State Administration Council.
The military government this week extended the state of emergency for another six months until Jan. 31, dashing hopes that a general election will be held this year as fighting has intensified with ethnic armed groups and supporters of Suu Kyi.
The 78-year-old was overthrown after the military seized power alleging widespread fraud in a national election, in which her party won more than 80% of available seats. Independent poll monitors found no major irregularities.
Suu Kyi received pardons for charges including breaking pandemic-era rules, illegal possession of walkie-talkies and incitement.
Read More: How Myanmar’s Military Has Hung On Despite Sanctions: QuickTake
(Updates throughout. An earlier story corrected to say Aung San Suu Kyi wasn’t released and she was pardoned for some of the charges.)
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