Myanmar’s military-backed government says detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has received a package from King Charles III. The government released the first pictures of the Nobel laureate in two months alongside the announcement.
Myanmar’s presidential spokeswoman said on her Facebook page that home ministry officials delivered the parcel on Monday. It contained two books about soil and sealed diplomatic correspondence from the British monarch. Britain is Myanmar’s former colonial power, and the King is known to have a strong interest in gardening and the environment.
Images show meeting in a room similar to August visit
Two images accompanied the statement, showing Suu Kyi meeting two men photographed from behind. The setting appeared similar to the room where her last released images were taken, when she met a Red Cross representative in August. That meeting was her first publicised encounter with a foreign official since she was ousted more than five years ago.
On Tuesday, Myanmar’s authorities called Suu Kyi a “special female prisoner”, the first time they have used that term for the pro-democracy and human rights advocate. Her global reputation suffered after she rejected accusations of genocide against the Muslim Rohingya minority.
Detention continues amid civil war and disputed charges
Suu Kyi was deposed in a 2021 military coup, which triggered an ongoing civil war that has killed more than 100,000 people, according to the conflict monitor ACLED. Coup leader and former military government chief Min Aung Hlaing was installed as civilian president in April, after elections that excluded her party. She was moved to house arrest soon afterwards.
She remains detained on charges that rights groups say were concocted to return power to the military, which has historically ruled Myanmar since independence. In an interview with Time magazine published last month, Min Aung Hlaing said: “I have been extremely lenient toward her.”
The international community, including Britain, has called for her release and access to her as part of efforts to resolve the political crisis. The government has rejected those calls.
