Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi pardoned in 5 cases: state media

YANGON, MYANMAR — Jailed Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been pardoned in five criminal cases, though she still faces 14 others, state media said Tuesday.

The announcement was part of an amnesty of more than 7,000 prisoners to mark Buddhist Lent.

“Chairman of State Administration Council pardons Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was sentenced by the relevant courts,” the broadcast said.

Suu Kyi, who has been in detention since she was ousted in a 2021 military coup, has been sentenced to 33 years in jail for a clutch of charges, including corruption, possession of illegal walkie-talkies and flouting coronavirus restrictions.

The broadcast said she had been pardoned in five cases but faces 14 others.

“She couldn’t be freed completely although some sentences against her were pardoned. She still has to face 14 cases. Only five cases out of 19 were pardoned,” a legal source said.

Suu Kyi has only been seen once since she was held after the 1 February 2021 putsch — in grainy state media photos from a bare courtroom in the military-built capital Naypyidaw.

The coup plunged the Southeast Asian nation into a conflict that has displaced more than one million people, according to the United Nations.

Last week, Suu Kyi was moved from prison to a government building, according to an official from her political party.

Myanmar frequently grants amnesty to thousands of prisoners to commemorate holidays or special Buddhist dates.

— AFP