Myanmar's military-backed government confirmed Monday that detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the capital Naypyidaw. The meeting is seen as one of the few opportunities for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate to have contact with the outside world.
Since the military seized power in a February 2021 coup and detained Suu Kyi, she has been almost completely isolated from the public and media. Her trials have been held behind closed doors, and information about her health and detention conditions has rarely been disclosed.
The meeting with the ICRC representative is considered a notable development, as international humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for access to detainees amid Myanmar's political crisis. However, the military government did not release further details about the content of the meeting or Suu Kyi's health condition.
Aung San Suu Kyi, 79, is serving multiple prison sentences totaling decades for charges including incitement, violations of anti-terrorism laws, and corruption. She and her supporters have dismissed the charges as a ploy to remove her from politics.
