US and ASEAN chair call for unconditional release of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi

The United States and Singapore, as the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have jointly urged Myanmar's military junta to release the country's former leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, unconditionally. The statement, issued by the U.S. State Department, reflects persistent international concern over the political crisis in Myanmar since the military seized power in a 2021 coup.

Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the de facto civilian leader before her ouster, has been detained along with other political figures. Her imprisonment and the junta's crackdown on dissent have drawn widespread condemnation from global bodies and democratic nations. The joint call from the U.S. and ASEAN chair signals a unified diplomatic front seeking a return to civilian rule and the restoration of democratic freedoms in Myanmar.

The junta has faced increasing pressure to engage in meaningful dialogue and to allow for the unimpeded return of democratic governance. The demand for Aung San Suu Kyi's release is a key component of these international efforts, emphasizing her central role in Myanmar's struggle for democracy.

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We call for the unconditional release of all those unjustly detained, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.