Updated on Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 08:55 IST

Washington, May 27: US President Barack Obama Wednesday asked for "immediate" and "unconditional" release of the Burmese pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize-winner held under house arrest since 2003.

"I call on the Burmese government to release National League for Democracy Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi from detention immediately and unconditionally," Obama said in a statement.

The statement comes on the eve of Aung San Suu Kyi's completion of six years of current term of her house arrest.

Suu Kyi has spent 13 of her last 19 years under house arrest. The popular Burmese leader is currently being charged of letting a foreign national staying at her house for two days. Aung San Suu Kyi has pleaded not guilty and has argued that the said foreign national entered her house uninvited and she was not responsible for it.

Strongly condemning the detention and house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, the US President said her continued detention, isolation, and show trial based on spurious charges cast serious doubt on the Burmese regime's willingness to be a responsible member of the international community.

Bureau Report