The detained former leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, is grappling with worsening heart conditions and urgently requires medical attention, according to her son, Kim Aris. In an impassioned plea for her release from what he described as “cruel and life-threatening” military custody, Aris raised concerns about the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate’s health.
Speaking to Reuters by phone from London, Aris revealed that his mother requested a cardiologist’s consultation approximately a month ago, but he could not confirm whether she received it. “Without proper medical examinations, it is impossible to ascertain the state of her heart,” he said, expressing deep anxiety. “I am extremely worried. There is no way of verifying if she is even alive.”
Aris also noted that Suu Kyi has been suffering from bone and gum issues and may have sustained injuries during a March 2025 earthquake that claimed over 3,700 lives. In a Facebook video, he called for the immediate release of his mother and all political prisoners in Myanmar.
Myanmar’s military junta, however, dismissed these concerns. On Saturday evening, military spokesman Zaw Min Tun told state-run MRTV that reports about Suu Kyi’s health were fabricated to overshadow military chief Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to China, where he met President Xi Jinping and attended a military parade. “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s health is good,” Zaw Min Tun claimed, alleging the reports were a distraction from the junta leader’s diplomatic activities.
Suu Kyi, an enduring symbol of Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement, has been detained since the February 2021 military coup that toppled her government, crushed mass protests, and ignited a nationwide armed uprising. She is serving a 27-year sentence on charges including incitement, corruption, and election fraud—allegations she firmly denies.
