More than 130 current and former lawmakers from 11 countries have urged ASEAN to demand the immediate release of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as the bloc faces renewed pressure to act on the prolonged political crisis in Myanmar.
The appeal came in an open letter dated June 19 — Suu Kyi's 81st birthday — addressed to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his capacity as ASEAN Chair for 2026, and to the heads of government of all ASEAN member states.
The signatories, led by the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and joined by lawmakers from Australia, the European Union, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom, called on ASEAN to take concrete steps toward securing the release of Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Myanmar.
"ASEAN has an opportunity to show that regional solidarity means something — that the people of Southeast Asia can count on this institution in their darkest hours. We urge you to seize it," the lawmakers said in the letter.
According to the letter, more than 31,000 individuals have been arrested on political grounds since the military seized power on February 1, 2021. Citing data from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, the lawmakers said more than 22,000 people remain in detention.
Suu Kyi has been detained since the day of the coup. Reports emerged in April 2026 that she had been transferred from prison to house arrest at an undisclosed location in Naypyidaw, though her family and legal counsel continue to face restricted access, the letter noted.
The lawmakers urged ASEAN to formally demand the release of Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, require the junta to grant access to her family, legal counsel and an independent medical team, and ensure that future engagement with Myanmar's military leadership does not legitimise the junta.
Myanmar's military government has consistently rejected external calls to release political detainees, framing such interventions as interference in internal affairs. The junta has maintained that Suu Kyi faces legitimate legal proceedings under Myanmar law and has characterised international advocacy as unwarranted political pressure.
The appeal aligns with ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus, the bloc's framework for addressing the Myanmar crisis, which calls for constructive dialogue among all parties. Implementation of the consensus has made limited progress since its adoption in 2021, with the military government showing little willingness to engage with opposition groups.
Suu Kyi rose from an accidental democracy figure to become Myanmar's most prominent civilian leader, leading the National League for Democracy to electoral victories in 2015 and 2020 before the military launched a coup alleging election fraud.
The signatories argued that meaningful dialogue and a sustainable resolution to the Myanmar crisis cannot be achieved while thousands of political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, remain in detention. The letter said ASEAN's engagement with the junta should be conditional on demonstrated progress toward releasing prisoners and restoring civilian governance.
The open letter marks the latest in a series of international appeals regarding Suu Kyi's detention, following earlier calls from ASEAN member states including the Philippines and Indonesia. The effectiveness of such appeals in shifting the military government's position remains unclear, given the junta's track record of resisting external pressure on political detainees.
Sources: Philippine Daily Inquirer, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights
