Myanmar's state media reports that the country's military junta has moved the detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi from prison to house arrest.
The 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been held in detention, likely at a military prison in the capital Nay Pyi Taw, since the 2021 coup that removed her from power.
Military leader Min Aung Hlaing, who led the coup, stated he had "commuted her remaining sentence to be served at the designated residence." State TV broadcast a picture of Suu Kyi sitting with two uniformed personnel.
Suu Kyi's son, Kim Aris, expressed skepticism, saying he has no proof she is alive and called the released image "meaningless" as it was taken in 2022. He stated he would not believe the announcement until he can communicate with her or someone independently verifies her condition and whereabouts.
Following the 2021 coup, Suu Kyi was sentenced to 33 years on charges allies say were politically motivated. Her sentence has since been reduced multiple times.
Suu Kyi spent decades as a pro-democracy activist under military rule, including more than 15 years under house arrest. She came to power in 2015 after the military introduced democratic reforms. However, her decision to defend Myanmar against genocide charges at the International Court of Justice over military atrocities against the Muslim Rohingya community in 2017 significantly tarnished her international reputation.