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Suu Kyi 'may be free in November' Suu Kyi 'may be free in November'
(about 3 hours later)
Reports from Burma suggest the military government may be planning to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi later this year. Burma's military government may be planning to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi later this year, say reports from the country.
Sources say the Burmese home minister told a meeting of local officials that Ms Suu Kyi would be freed in November. Burma's home minister is reported to have told officials Ms Suu Kyi would be freed in November, when her current period of house arrest expires.
This is when her current period of house arrest is due to expire. Ms Suu Kyi's detention was extended last year, after a US man visited her house uninvited.
Her detention was extended by 18 months last August, over an incident in which an American man swam, uninvited, to her lakeside home. Critics say the junta intends to detain her until after elections this year.
Burmese officials have hinted many times that Aung San Suu Kyi may be released, but it is the first time in recent months that a putative date has been attached to the idea. Home Minister Maung Oo is reported to have made the comments about Ms Suu Kyi at a provincial town meeting four days ago.
Appeal pre-empted? The BBC's South East Asia correspondent Rachel Harvey says it is a measure of how tightly information is controlled in Burma that it has taken this long for the reports to filter out.
The comments are reported to have been made by a senior minister at a provincial town meeting four days ago. Burmese officials have hinted many times that Aung San Suu Kyi may be released, our correspondent adds, but this is the first time in recent months that a putative date has been attached to the idea.
It is a measure of how tightly information is controlled in Burma that it has taken this long for the reports to filter out.
Aung San Suu Kyi's own lawyer told the BBC he had heard the rumour but could not confirm it.Aung San Suu Kyi's own lawyer told the BBC he had heard the rumour but could not confirm it.
And if indeed she is released in November, key questions about the terms of Aung San Suu Kyi's possible freedom remain. Undermined
Would there be conditions attached? Would her activities be restricted? And, crucially, would her release come before or after planned elections? Ms Suu Kyi's detention was extended by 18 months last August, over an incident in which an American man swam, uninvited, to her lakeside home.
There is also the matter of the legal appeal against Aung San Suu Kyi's current detention. Burma extended Ms Suu Kyi's arrest after an intruder visited her home
The Supreme Court is due to deliver its verdict in the next couple of weeks. If she is released in November, key questions remain about the terms of her possible freedom.
But if the military government says she will continue to be detained until at least November, the court's decision has been somewhat undermined. Those include whether there would be conditions attached, whether her activities would be restricted and - crucially - whether the release would come before or after planned elections.
Tin Oo The Supreme Court is also due to deliver its verdict on a legal appeal against her current detention in the next couple of weeks.
The minister, Maung Oo, is also reported to have said that the vice chairman of Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), will be released in February. But if the military government says she will continue to be detained until at least November, the court's decision has already been somewhat undermined, says our correspondent.
Maung Oo is also reported to have said the vice chairman of Ms Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), will be released in February.
Tin Oo, 82, has been in prison or under house arrest for more than a decade.Tin Oo, 82, has been in prison or under house arrest for more than a decade.
If he is released, he could have a key role in deciding whether or not the NLD participates in the elections due later this year. Analysts say if he is released, he could have a key role in deciding whether or not the NLD participates in the elections due later this year.
No date for the poll has yet been set.No date for the poll has yet been set.
But if Tin Oo is released in February, and Aung San Suu Kyi remains in detention until November, it could indicate that the elections are pencilled in for a date sometime between the two. But if Tin Oo is released in February, and Aung San Suu Kyi remains in detention until November, it could indicate that the elections are pencilled in for a date sometime between the two, says our correspondent.