Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi denied 'urgent care', says son

The youngest son of Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi said she has been denied urgent medical care.

Kim Aris said the military junta ruling the country blocked prison authorities' request for "urgent care".

Prison sources told BBC Burmese Ms Suu Kyi, 78, has been suffering severe toothaches, leaving her unable to eat.

However a military spokesman said she is in good health and receives regular check-ups from both military and civilian doctors.

Ms Suu Kyi has been detained since February 2021, following the military coup that ousted her.

The coup triggered a civil war in the country, and has led to the deaths of thousands of people.

Long-time acquaintances of Ms Suu Kyi told BBC Burmese that she has chronic gum disease and suffers from low-blood pressure, while a source close to the prison added that her gum issues have "gotten worse".

The source noted that she has been served soft food as well as a medicated jelly intended to relieve her toothaches.

Mr Aris, who is based in the UK, said his mother has been vomiting and endures "severe dizziness" due to her ill health.

"To deny a sick prisoner access to recommended medical care is callous and cruel," the 46-year old said in a text message to BBC Burmese.

"Anyone who has such painful gum disease that they are unable to eat obviously has their entire health at risk if suitable treatment is denied."

Myanmar's exiled National Unity Government - a coalition of all political parties in the country - has urged the international community to "pressure the junta" into providing appropriate treatment for political detainees like Ms Suu Kyi.

Many world leaders have called for Ms Suu Kyi's unconditional release, along with that of thousands of others detained in the junta's crackdown on its suspected opponents.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's political crisis has dominated discussions at the biannual Asean summit which kicked off in Indonesia on Tuesday. The South East Asian bloc's leaders have condemned Myanmar's military authorities for the continuing violence in the country.

This is the second year in a row that Myanmar was not invited to the regional meeting following the coup.