Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi is suffering from worsening heart problems and needs urgent medical attention, her son says, in an appeal for her immediate release from "cruel and life-threatening" custody.

Kim Aris told Reuters that his 80-year-old mother, in military custody since a 2021 coup that deposed her government, had asked to see a cardiologist about a month ago, but he had been unable to determine whether her request had been granted.

"Without proper medical examinations ... it is impossible to know what state her heart is in," he said by phone from London on Friday.

"I am extremely worried. There is no way of verifying if she is even alive."

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has also suffered from bone and gum issues, Aris said, adding it was likely she had b

See Full Page