33-Year Sentence: Aung San Suu Kyi's Son Hears Her Voice After Nearly Six Years

A 20-minute phone call connected Aung San Suu Kyi with her son, Kim Aris, on Thursday. It was their first direct conversation since the military coup in 2021 removed her from power. Aris, 49, lives in London and works as a carpenter. He told NPR that his mother’s first words were a question about his health.

Aris reported that his mother, 81, is alive and well. He noted that hearing her voice provided reassurance after nearly six years of silence. The former Nobel Peace Prize laureate was first sentenced in 2021. Consecutive trials in 2022 added charges of corruption and electoral fraud, resulting in a total of 33 years in prison. The sentence was later reduced, leaving her with 18 years remaining to serve.

Khaing Khaing Soe, a spokesperson for Myanmar's military-backed president, confirmed the call on social media. Soe stated that the conversation was arranged through Myanmar's Embassy in London. He also posted separate photographs of the mother and son. Aris learned during the call that his mother is held at a residence near the capital, Naypyidaw. He believes police and military personnel surround the building, which he describes as fenced off with a scrubby garden.

"From what I can ascertain, she's basically being held in solitary confinement even if she's not in a prison cell," Aris said. He believes she can read books but lacks access to news via radio, television, or newspapers. Her health has worried the family for years. Aris said she sounded strong but suffers from tendonitis in her hand, which sometimes prevents her from using it. She told him she receives a health checkup every six months.

Aris is planning to send a care package. His mother requested a mix of healthy food and treats. He is considering Ben's Cookies, a brand from Oxford, England, where she raised her two sons before moving to Myanmar in 1988. Aris believes the military monitored the call, so sensitive topics like the civil war were avoided. He recalled her house arrest in Yangon from 1989 to 2010, when the regime used photographs of parcels for propaganda.

Aris views the call as an attempt by the military to improve its image. Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing, who became president after a January election, is traveling abroad to seek legitimacy. "I hope that governments around the world won't be taken in," Aris said. The civil war triggered by the 2021 coup has killed approximately 100,000 people, according to the monitoring group ACLED. The U.N. reports that millions have been displaced.

ACLED reports that the military has escalated attacks on civilians since Hlaing became president. Regional governments are increasing diplomatic engagement, while the U.S. maintains sanctions against Hlaing for human rights abuses. These include the 2016-2017 killings and expulsions of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, a conflict Washington has declared a genocide. Suu Kyi defended Myanmar against these allegations at the International Court of Justice in 2019.

Nay Phone Latt, spokesperson for the exiled National Unity Government, said the regime dares not release her because her strength would aid the revolution. Richard Horsey of the International Crisis Group called her status the most valuable card Hlaing holds. He warned she could become a bargaining chip while airstrikes continue. The U.S. State Department urged the military to hold genuine dialogue with all opposition groups. In August, its Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs called for Suu Kyi's immediate and unconditional release. Aris said the call may be a one-off and that his mother believes sharing their experience gives people strength.