Myanmar’s military-backed government said Monday that it had delivered two books sent by King Charles III to detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, along with a sealed envelope and diplomatic correspondence.
The statement did not provide details about the correspondence nor explain how the books were sent. President Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in February 2021 as an army chief, has been seeking to end Myanmar’s international isolation, imposed after Suu Kyi was ousted and imprisoned. Min Aung Hlaing has faced sanctions but is now trying to project a return to normalcy after holding an election in 2025 and increasing Myanmar’s engagement with its regional neighbours. Accompanying Monday’s statement were two photos of the 81-year-old leader dressed in a traditional pale green blouse and skirt and seated across a small table from two men in white shirts inside a wood-paneled room. The meeting lasted about 10 minutes, according to the statement, which did not disclose the location nor provide details about what was discussed.
Rare Photos Show Aung San Suu Kyi Receiving Books Sent By King Charles Kim Aris, her younger son who lives in London and has repeatedly called for her release and direct access to her, said in a statement to the AP that he welcomed Charles’ gesture of sending books to his detained mother but warned that it should not be used by the military-backed government to create a false impression of normality.
The announcement provides another rare update about Suu Kyi’s circumstances while she remains in detention.
She is currently serving her sentence under house arrest at an undisclosed location in Naypyitaw on charges that her supporters and rights groups have said are politically motivated.
