Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi met a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday in a rare instance of confirmed contact with the outside world since the military seized power in 2021.
The military-backed government announced the meeting and released photographs showing Suu Kyi shaking hands with ICRC representative Arnaud de Baecque and speaking with him in a wood-paneled room.
The authorities did not disclose the location of the meeting or provide details of the discussions.
The ICRC confirmed that one of its delegates visited Suu Kyi under its procedures for people deprived of liberty and said she was able to speak with the delegation in private.
The meeting comes after years of uncertainty surrounding Suu Kyi's health and whereabouts while in detention.
Additional photographs released by the government showed her cutting a birthday cake bearing the inscription "Happy Birthday Aunty Suu," suggesting they were taken during celebrations for her 81st birthday in June.
In the images, Suu Kyi appeared relaxed and smiling, although her physical condition could not be independently assessed from the photographs.
Her son, Kim Aris, who has led an international campaign seeking proof that his mother is alive and well, welcomed the development.
"This may be a first step, but it must not be the last," Aris said.
He said he hopes the visit will lead to direct family contact, independently verified information about her wellbeing, and her release alongside other political prisoners.
Suu Kyi has remained out of public view since being detained when the military overthrew her elected government on Feb. 1, 2021.
Her sentence has since been reduced, and authorities previously said she had been transferred from prison to house arrest.
The ICRC said it continues engaging with relevant parties to maintain and expand access to places of detention in Myanmar.
The meeting also comes as international and regional calls have increased for greater access to Suu Kyi as part of broader efforts to address Myanmar's political crisis.
However, opposition figures said the visit should not be viewed as evidence of broader progress on democracy or human rights, arguing that Suu Kyi should be released without conditions.