Kim Aris, son of Myanmar's detained former democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, spoke to his mother by phone for the first time in over five years, according to a Facebook post published Thursday.
"Today, I was finally able to speak with my mother, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, after more than five years. Hearing her voice again means more than words can express," Aris wrote.
The contact signals a loosening of detention restrictions on Suu Kyi, who has been held since the Myanmar military seized power in February 2021. Her confinement had previously prevented direct communication with her son, who lives outside Myanmar.
The Guardian reports that Aris was allowed to speak with his mother for the first time since before 2021. The exact nature of the military regime's decision to permit the call remains unclear from the available reporting. No statement from Myanmar authorities accompanied the development.
Suu Kyi remains in military custody following the coup that deposed her elected government. She has faced multiple charges in military-controlled courts since her detention began. International human rights organizations have called for her release and have documented concerns about her treatment in custody.
The timing and circumstances of the permitted contact may reflect shifting conditions for Suu Kyi's imprisonment, though The Guardian's report does not detail whether this represents a broader policy change toward detained political figures or remains a limited exception.