‘Extremely lenient’: Myanmar president defends treatment of Suu Kyi

Yangon, Myanmar — In an interview published today, Myanmar's coup leader and civilian president Min Aung Hlaing claimed he has been "extremely lenient" on Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate he ousted and jailed in 2021. Min Aung Hlaing ordered the military coup that removed Suu Kyi's democratic government, alleging that she had won power through widespread voter fraud in the previous election.

Suu Kyi continues to be held on charges alleged by rights groups to be a ploy to reinstate the military's rule, which has governed Myanmar since its independence. "I have been extremely lenient towards her," Min Aung Hlaing stated, according to an interview published by US magazine Time. "We made every possible effort to avoid reaching this point."

Min Aung Hlaing assumed civilian presidency in April following elections denounced as a sham by rights groups. He has been engaging in diplomatic efforts to lift Myanmar's international isolation, yet numerous nations remain wary of 81-year-old Suu Kyi. Analysts believe Min Aung Hlaing is leveraging the prospect of easing her detention to persuade countries to interact, despite the ongoing civil war threatening his rule.

Just prior to his high-profile visit to Thailand in August, his office released rare photos displaying Suu Kyi in conversation with a senior Red Cross official. Min Aung Hlaing told Time that "the possibility of an amnesty for Suu Kyi depends on her," but added that conditions could change if "grounds for reconsideration emerge on our part."

Min Aung Hlaing personally ordered Suu Kyi's relocation from jail to house arrest in Naypyidaw in April as he set forth on his diplomatic quest for global recognition. The December-January elections that installed Min Aung Hlaing were closely monitored by his junta, excluded Suu Kyi's party, and penalized dissenters with imprisonment.

Analysts have described his civilian administration as a proxy of the military. "There are various forms of democracy," Min Aung Hlaing stated in the Time interview. "I will ensure that Myanmar attains a democratic system that aligns with our own culture, customs, and traditions."