U.N. to Myanmar military: Now release Aung San Suu Kyi

By Doyinsola Oladipo

(Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Myanmar’s military on Thursday to release Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint now, a U.N. spokesperson said on Thursday, a day after thousands of other detainees were freed.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army took power on Feb. 1 and ousted Suu Kyi’s elected government.

“We reiterate our call for the immediate release of all of those who are arbitrarily detained, and that includes President Win Myint and State councilor Aung San Suu Kyi,” said Eri Kaneko, associate spokesperson for Guterres.

Myanmar freed more than 2,000 detainees on Wednesday, among them journalists and others who the ruling military said had been held on incitement charges for taking part in protests, local media reported.

Many of the military’s opponents have been held, some convicted, under a law that criminalises comments that could cause fear or spread false news. Suu Kyi is on trial for a similar offence, among others, and remains in detention.

“We remain deeply concerned at the continuation of violence and intimidation, including arbitrary arrests, by the security forces,” said Kaneko.

(Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in Washington; Editing by Michelle Nichols and Matthew Lewis)