Obama demands Suu Kyi's release

Today morning - Posted Wed May 27, 2009 9:00am AEST
Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi leaving court in Rangoon.

Facing jail: Aung San Suu Kyi leaving court in Rangoon (APTN)

US President Barack Obama has called on Burma's military rulers to "immediately and unconditionally" release democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Burma officially ended Ms Suu Kyi's six-year house arrest overnight but she is currently being held at Rangoon's notorious Insein prison, where she is facing a possible five-year jail term for breaching the terms of that house arrest.

"I call on the Burmese government to release National League for Democracy Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi from detention immediately and unconditionally," Mr Obama said in a written statement.

"I strongly condemn her house arrest and detention, which have also been condemned around the world.

"Aung San Suu Kyi's continued detention, isolation and show-trial based on spurious charges cast serious doubt on the Burmese regime's willingness to be a responsible member of the international community."

Mr Obama intervened after the Nobel laureate told her trial in notorious Insein jail in Rangoon that she did not violate terms of her house arrest by offering shelter to US man John Yettaw who swam to her lake-side home.

Mr Yettaw is an American ex-serviceman who spent two nights in her home, despite requests for him to leave.

Ms Suu Kyi was testifying for the first time at the trial, in a case which has drawn widespread international condemnation of the country's iron-fisted military junta.

She has spent more than 13 years in detention since winning national elections almost 20 years ago.

-AFP/ABC