Myanmar leader Suu Kyi moved from jail to house arrest
Myanmar's former leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and the ousted president, U Win Myint, have been moved from prison to house arrest by the country's military regime. The Junta military government representative confirmed the change, citing extreme heat as a contributing factor. "Since the weather is extremely hot, it is not only for Aung San Suu Kyi...For all those, who need necessary precautions, especially elderly prisoners, we are working to protect them from heatstroke," Major General Zaw Min Tun said.
Why does this story matter?
Myanmar has been witnessing a heatwave since the past week, with daytime temperatures being 3-4 °C higher than average. According to Myanmar's meteorological department, temperatures in Naypyidaw reached 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday. Extreme heat has killed at least one person in Myanmar as hot-season temperatures soar owing to El Nino. Temperatures rose to 47°C in Chauk Township, Mandalay Region, 45°C in Nyaung-U, 44°C in Myingyan, and Minbu and Sinphyukyun, Magwe Region.
Suu Kyi and Myint serving sentences amid global criticism
However, at the moment, it is not clear where the former leaders have been taken. State-run MRTV reported that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the president of Myanmar's ruling military council, has pardoned 3,303 convicts, including 28 foreign nationals who will be deported. He also reduced the sentences of other prisoners. The event coincides with the country's traditional new year holiday, during which mass amnesties are typically announced.
Concerns raised over their healths
Concerns had previously been raised regarding the health of both leaders. In June last year, Win Myint was treated in prison for an undisclosed illness and given a urinary catheter. Suu Kyi's son, Kim Aris, revealed in September that she was unable to eat due to severe gum disease. Aris disclosed in February that she was being detained in solitary confinement and was in good spirits, "even if her health is not as good as it was in the past."
Both leaders have been imprisoned since February 2021
Both leaders have been imprisoned since the military took control in a coup in February 2021, throwing the country into massive strife. Suu Kyi has been serving a 27-year prison sentence in Naypyidaw for a number of criminal convictions that her supporters and rights groups claim were concocted for political reasons. Whereas Win Myint was serving an eight-year prison sentence in Taungoo, Myanmar's Bago Region.
