Kim Aris, the son of detained Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, said on Thursday that he had spoken to his mother for the first time in more than five years, while calling for her unconditional release.
In a statement posted on 22 October, Aris said hearing his mother’s voice again meant “more than words can express”. He thanked supporters who had continued to speak up for her and said he believed their efforts had helped make the conversation possible.
However, he stressed that the contact did not mean his mother had regular access to her family or was free.
“My mother is 81 and remains unjustly detained,” he said, adding that she must not be used as a hostage or bargaining chip for diplomatic recognition, sanctions relief or political advantage.
Aris urged the UK government and other governments engaging with Myanmar’s military authorities to ensure that humanitarian rights were not exchanged for political legitimacy.
He called for the immediate and unconditional release of his mother and all political prisoners, saying freedom was not negotiable.
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