Asean urged to seek release of Suu Kyi

This undated handout photo from the Myanmar Military Information Team released on April 30, 2026 shows Aung San Suu Kyi (C) talking in an undisclosed location. (Photo by Myanmar Military Information Team / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — More than 130 current and former lawmakers from 11 countries have urged Asean to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Myanmar democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as she marked her 81st birthday.

In an open letter dated June 19 and addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as Asean Chair for 2026, as well as the heads of government of Asean member states, the lawmakers urged regional leaders to take concrete steps toward securing the release of Suu Kyi and thousands of other political prisoners.

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The signatories, led by Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and joined by lawmakers from Australia, the European Union, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom, said the appeal reflected growing international concern over the political crisis in Myanmar.

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The lawmakers said their demands were consistent with Asean’s Five-Point Consensus, saying that meaningful dialogue and a sustainable resolution to the Myanmar crisis cannot be achieved while thousands of political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, remain in detention.

From democracy icon to detainee

Suu Kyi rose from an accidental democracy figure into Myanmar’s most prominent civilian leader, only to end her political career once again in military custody after the 2021 coup.

Born on June 19, 1945, she was the daughter of independence hero Aung San, founder of Myanmar’s armed forces. After years abroad in India and Britain, she returned to Myanmar in 1988 to care for her ailing mother and was swept into a nationwide pro-democracy uprising against military rule.

Her National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide victory in the 1990 elections, but the military refused to hand over power and placed her under house arrest. She spent about 15 of the next 20 years detained, becoming a global symbol of peaceful resistance and winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

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Released in 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi entered parliament in 2012 and led the NLD to a sweeping victory in 2015, raising hopes for democratic reform after decades of military dominance.

Rohingya crisis and political downfall

Her international standing collapsed during the Rohingya crisis, when her government defended the military despite accusations of mass killings, rape and arson that forced about 750,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. In 2019, she personally defended Myanmar against genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice.

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Despite her civilian government’s electoral dominance, her ties with the military remained tense. After the NLD won again in 2020, the military alleged election fraud, seized power in a 2021 coup and detained her.

Calls for proof of life

According to the letter, more than 31,141 individuals have been arrested on political grounds since the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. Citing data from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, the lawmakers said more than 22,000 people remain detained, while over 7,800 individuals, including pro-democracy activists and civilians, have been killed.

READ: PH urges Myanmar to give DFA chief ‘access’ to Suu Kyi

The signatories also raised concerns about Suu Kyi’s condition following reports that she was transferred from prison to house arrest at an undisclosed location in Naypyidaw in April 2026. They said her family and legal counsel continue to face severe restrictions on access and that there has been no independent verification of her current circumstances.

Appeal to Asean leaders

The lawmakers urged Asean to formally demand the release of Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, require the junta to grant access to her family, legal counsel and an independent medical team, and ensure that future engagement with Myanmar’s military authorities remains inclusive and tied to measurable progress under the Five-Point Consensus.

“Asean has an opportunity to show that regional solidarity means something—that the people of Southeast Asia can count on this institution in their darkest hours. We urge you to seize it,” the signatories said in the letter.

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Among the signatories were current and former parliamentarians from Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Timor-Leste. Philippine signatories included former lawmakers Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao, Leila de Lima and Emmi de Jesus.

With Agence France-Presse