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Aung San Suu Kyi: Inspirational Opposition Leader Still Detained
Posted on: 01/08/07

"Fearlessness may be a gift but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavour, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions, courage that could be described as 'grace under pressure' - grace which is renewed repeatedly in the face of harsh, unremitting pressure."
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s “Freedom From Fear” speech given in 1990.

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Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the majority of votes in the 1990 elections in Myanmar. However, the authorities refused to hand over power. Since the elections, the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has detained hundreds of opposition party members, including members of the NLD and student activists.

Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest, not allowed to leave her property, from 1989 until 1995, and again from 2000 until 2002. While she was travelling in May 2003 to meet NLD party members outside of the capital, she, along with 250 NLD members, were reportedly attacked by members of the police and military.

Since 2003, Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest.

She was visited at least twice after the 2007 crackdown by Ibrahim Gambari, the UN Special Envoy, although the UN Special Rapporteur, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, was denied permission in November 2007.

Take Action on this case

1. Sign Amnesty's e-appeal calling for Aung San Suu Kyi's release

2. Send a Letter

Please write a letter calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of other prisoners of conscience in Myanmar.

Sample Letter:

Dear General Than Shwe,

I am writing to you today to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the many other prisoners of conscience held on account of their peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of association and expression.

Write to:

Senior General Than Shwe
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)
c/o Ministry of Defence
Naypyitaw
Union of Myanmar

Tips for Letter-Writing: Use the sample text above, or write your own letter. Please do not mention 'Amnesty International' in your letter and do not include your return address. 

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Amnesty International’s Concerns

There are more than 1,185 political prisoners in Myanmar. These include prisoners of conscience imprisoned for peaceful assembly or expression of their beliefs or engagement in peaceful political activities. Many have been subjected to torture or ill-treatment, have been held incommunicado without access to lawyers, and have been sentenced through the use of repressive legislation in unfair trials. By the end of 2006, most senior opposition figures were imprisoned or detained.

Prison conditions in Myanmar are extremely poor. Many prisoners of conscience have been in poor health, and have faced torture and other forms of ill-treatment. Access to medical treatment is inadequate.

In Myanmar, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association are restricted, as is access to the internet. Members of opposition parties, students unions and other organizations have been harassed, threatened and attacked, and many are currently in prison.

Amnesty’s Involvement

Amnesty International has been working on the case of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi since her first house arrest in 1989, as well as on the cases of the hundreds of other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Myanmar. Recently, AI Canada has issued news releases and actions on the detainment of Aung San Suu Kyi, and has called for her immediate and unconditional release, as well as for the State Protection Law, which allows for arbitrary detention, to be amended or revoked.

Aung San Suu Kyi's Biography

Born in 1945, Daw Aung San Suu is the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), an opposition party in Myanmar.  Her father Aung San negotiated Burma’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1947.  She is a Buddhist advocate of non-violent resistance and a mother of two.  

After studying abroad, Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Burma in 1988. Following mass demonstrations for democracy in March 1988, Aung San Suu Kyi founded the National League for Democracy (NLD).  She campaigned for a democratically elected government, respect for human rights and peaceful settlement of conflicts.  She was put under house arrest in 1989 by the military who had overthrown the government.  Despite this, the NLD won the national election, with approximately 60% of the vote and 81% of the seats.  However, the ruling military government (known as SLORC) ignored the election results and have since remained in power.

Aung San Suu Kyi has remained in Myanmar, despite threats for her safety and despite being repeatedly placed under house arrest for her unwillingness to remain silent.  After her release in May 2002, Aung San Suu Kyi campaigned with other pro-democracy groups and was arrested and imprisoned.  She was again placed under house arrest where she remains today, despite overwhelming global opposition.  Since the most recent protests by thousands of people in Myanmar and around the world, the pressure is on to ensure that Aung San Suu Kyi and other prisoners of conscience, who are among the 1,150 political prisoners detained in Myanmar, are released without delay.

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