The detained former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved to house arrest, the country’s state media has reported.

The 80-year-old Nobel laureate has been held in detention – probably in a military prison in the capital Nay Pyi Taw – since she was removed from office in a military coup in 2021.

A statement by military leader Min Aung Hlaing, who led the coup, said he had “commuted her remaining sentence to be served at the designated residence”.

Aung San Suu Kyi came to power in 2015 after Myanmar’s then rulers introduced democratic reforms. Before that, she spent decades of military rule as a pro-democracy activist, and was previously held for more than 15 years under house arrest.

State media broadcast a picture of her sitting with two uniformed personnel.

Her son Kim Aris said he was sceptical about the announcement and that he did not even have proof that she was alive. He said the picture was “meaningless” as it was taken in 2022.

“I hope this is true. I still haven’t seen any real evidence to show that she has been moved,” he told the BBC.

“So, until I’m allowed communication with her, or somebody can independently verify her condition and her whereabouts, then I won’t believe anything.”

Prior to the announcement, nothing was known about her health or living conditions, and Kim Aris said in December he had not heard from her in years.

Her legal team told Reuters they had had no direct notification about her house arrest.

Little has been seen – and nothing heard – from Aung San Suu Kyi since she was arrested on the day the armed forces ousted her elected government more than five years ago.

Her lawyers have not seen her for more than three years; her family has had no contact with her for more than two.

The only image of her seen before Thursday was at a court appearance in May 2021, at the start of a series of trials by the military on charges which have been widely dismissed as fabricated.

Since then, her 33-year sentence has been reduced several times.

Her sudden appearance in state media suggests the military authorities may be preparing for further changes in her status – possibly her partial or complete release.

Prime Minister Dr Harini   Amarasuriya in her May Day message called upon the working people in Sri Lanka to move forward together in unity to build a country where all labour is valued, rights are protected, and equality prevails.

The full text of the PM’s message:

The history of the Sri Lankan labour movement is a remarkable journey, shaped over decades by the blood, sweat, and sacrifices made in the pursuit of rights, justice, and dignity.

Beginning with the printers’ strike of 1893, the working people of this country emerged as an organised force. Through the trade union movement led by A. E. Goonesinha and the emergence of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, the voice of labour gained political strength. The Railway Workers’ Strike of 1923 and the public service strike of 1947 reaffirmed that the true ’driving force’ behind the country’s economic and social transformation was its working people. I respectfully acknowledge the invaluable contributions of workers in the plantation sector, ports, railways, and across both the public and private sectors, whose dedication laid the foundation for many of the labour rights we benefit from today.

As we commemorate International Workers’ Day with dignity once again, we pay tribute to all working people across the world, including the heroic workers who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for an eight-hour workday in Chicago in 1886. This year’s May Day holds special significance as it is being celebrated under a government built through the power of the people, in honour of the entire working community of Sri Lanka.

Granting due respect to labour and safeguarding the rights of all working people are core policy commitments of our government. Accordingly, we remain dedicated to creating a fair and safe working environment by expanding existing services and implementing new programmes aimed at improving the living standards of working people.

Ensuring fair and equal access for all citizens is a fundamental objective of the government. Following that, it is our responsibility to create an environment in which everyone can lead a dignified professional life. Establishing a national social protection system that recognises unpaid labour and guarantees social security for unpaid labours is among the foremost priorities of our government.

On this May Day, we must reaffirm the importance of moving forward together in unity to build a country where all labour is valued, rights are protected, and equality prevails. With the strength and dedication of all working people, may we soon achieve the vision we all share: “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life

There has been violence outside an Australian hospital where a man suspected of murdering a five-year-old girl was being treated.

Jefferson Lewis was arrested late on Thursday night local time in Alice Springs, after being seen by members of the local community and reportedly attacked.

Video shows dozens of people gathering outside the town’s hospital, some throwing projectiles, with police using tear gas.

The body of the girl, who is identified only as Kumanjayi Little Baby for cultural reasons, was discovered earlier on Thursday.

She had last been seen on Saturday, when she was put to bed at an Aboriginal town camp near Alice Springs just before midnight.

Australia’s national broadcaster, the ABC, reports the crowd of about 400 Aboriginal people outside the hospital yelled that Lewis needed to face “payback” and accused the police of protecting him.

“Payback” is term for traditional punishment under Aboriginal law in Central Australia.

Many were chanting that he should be killed for his alleged attack on Kumanjayi Little Baby, the ABC added.

Video from the scene shows crowds throwing items towards police and items being thrown. Several police vehicles appear to have been damaged.

Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole told the ABC Lewis was unconscious when officers found him.

Dole said about 200 people turned on police and paramedics as they responded to reports Lewis was being assaulted.

Several people including members of the emergency services were injured, but no arrests have been made over the violent disorder.

Dole said the scenes outside the hospital were “not acceptable” and were not “reflective of what we’ve seen from the community of Alice Springs in the last five days”.

Lewis has been flown from Alice Springs to Darwin and has been taken into police custody, Dole said.

Charges are expected to be laid against Lewis in the coming days, Dole said.

Forensic test to confirm the young girl’s identity and cause of death will continue on Friday.

Police had been combing nearby bush and desert for Lewis, who was released from prison six days before Kumanjayi Little Baby disappeared and vanished around the same time.

Dole said everyone involved in the search for her had been holding out hope of finding her alive.

“When we made that discover yesterday [it was] absolutely devastating for everybody involved,” he said.

In a statement, Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mother – who was not named – said her daughter was loved and missed.

“It is going to be so hard to live the rest of our lives without you.”

“We know you are in heaven with the rest of the family and Jesus. Me and your brother will meet you one day.”