Myanmar's New President Reduces Aung San Suu Kyi's Prison Sentence

Myanmar’s new President, Min Aung Hlaing, who previously led the military junta, has reduced the prison sentence being served by the country’s former leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. This policy is part of a mass amnesty granted by Min Aung Hlaing to more than 4,300 prisoners.

In his policy, as reported by the South China Morning Post and Reuters on Friday (17/4/2026), Min Aung Hlaing also granted clemency, or released, Myanmar’s former President Win Myint from prison.

Reports from Myanmar’s state media indicate that Min Aung Hlaing has approved an amnesty that frees 4,335 prisoners. This mass amnesty was granted in commemoration of the Myanmar New Year, or Thingyan.

“The President has pardoned Win Myint,” stated the Myanmar presidential office on Friday (17/4).

Win Myint, an ally of Suu Kyi, served as President of Myanmar from 2018 to 2021. He was ousted by the military coup in February 2021 and has been imprisoned since then.

The reduction in Suu Kyi’s sentence was revealed by her lawyer, who stated that the 27-year prison term she is serving has been reduced by one-sixth, or about 4.5 years.

It remains unclear whether Suu Kyi, now 80 years old, will be allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest.

The former Myanmar leader was imprisoned on a series of legal violations, which her allies claim were politically motivated to silence her. She faced charges ranging from incitement and corruption to election fraud and violations of state secrets laws.

In this new policy, Min Aung Hlaing has also lightened all death sentences in a phased manner. This is one of the first official policies of Min Aung Hlaing since being formally inaugurated as President of Myanmar.

Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military coup against the civilian government headed by Suu Kyi in 2021, plunged Myanmar into chaos.

After half a decade of ruling by decree, Min Aung Hlaing held elections that concluded in January, without involving his party, securing a landslide victory for his military allies in civilian politics who supported him taking the top position.

He then resigned as Myanmar’s top general to assume the presidency in the new government. Democracy watchdog groups have derided the transition as an unconvincing attempt to change the image of military rule under a civilian facade.