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US journalist Danny Fenster on his way home after being released in Myanmar Press Freedom News

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Doha, Qatar – U.S. journalist Danny Fenster was on his way home on Monday after being released from a six-month prison sentence in Myanmar and sentenced to 11 more years in prison last week.

Fenster, wearing a knitted hat, a shaved beard and sandals, said he felt “excellent” after landing in a packed flight in Dohan, Qatar, three days after being sentenced. They were convicted of spreading false or inflammatory information, contacting illegal entities and violating visa regulations.

“I am very happy to be on my way home,” he told reporters in Doha, accompanied by former United States Ambassador Bill Richardson, who negotiated his release.

Fenster, who worked as the editor of the local network magazine Myanmar Frontier, was arrested in May while trying to board a flight from Yangon to the U.S. city of Detroit.

The arrest came amid a crackdown on the Myanmar army that took control of the country in February, sparking mass protests and civil disobedience. To date, at least 1,265 people have been killed in the country and more than 10,000 have been arrested, according to the Association for the Support of Political Prisoners, which is monitoring the situation.

U.S. journalist Danny Fenster (L), along with former U.S. diplomat Bill Richardson, arrives in the Qatari capital Doha. Fenster was pardoned and deported, a day before he had to face charges of “panic” and sedition that could lead to life in prison. [Karim Jaaafar/AFP]

Rights groups say dozens of local journalists remain in custody, including medical staff, activists and political opponents of military authorities. The UN’s Independent Investigation Mechanism in Myanmar said the evidence shows that the military has committed “crimes against humanity”.

In the wake of the crackdown, the military has imposed internet blackouts, shut down satellite TV and revoked the publishing licenses of some independent Myanmar news organizations.

He accused Fenster of working in Myanmar Now, which was among the news organizations that had their licenses revoked.

However, Fenster left the website in June 2020 to work for Frontier Myanmar. The magazine, which applauded Fenster’s release, said the court had ignored key evidence, including tax records, which confirmed that Fenster was not working in Myanmar Now.

His 11-year sentence was still the harshest sentence, with seven journalists prosecuted since the military took power and arrested elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Fenster was also charged with sedition and “terrorism,” although a new trial on those charges did not begin.

On Monday, Fenster said he would work to continue highlighting the plight of colleagues detained in the country, most of them citizens of Myanmar.

“We will keep as much attention as possible and we will do everything we can to lobby for them,” he said. “We’re still trying hard and we hope to get out of there.”

Former diplomat Richardson told reporters that he was able to negotiate Fenester’s release during a recent visit to Myanmar when he held face-to-face meetings with General Min Minung Hlaing. The trip, billed as a private humanitarian mission, was criticized by some as legitimizing military ownership.

However, on Monday night in Doha, Richardson, who also served as governor of New Mexico and as U.S. secretary of energy, blamed the military for “violent foresight” in “humanitarian aid to the Myanmar government in its efforts to work on vaccines.” .

He also thanked the Qatari government for helping its foundation, the Richardson Center, work “to free the hostages, both American and non-American.”

In a statement on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also welcomed Fenster’s release.

“We continue to demand the release of others who remain unjustly imprisoned in Burma,” he said, referring to Myanmar’s former name.

Fenster’s family, meanwhile, said in a statement that there was “great joy” that Danny would be released and on his way home; we can’t wait to hold it in our arms. “

Speaking in Qatar, Fenster said he was not “hungry or beaten” while he was imprisoned in the infamous Insein prison near Yangon, saying his biggest concern was “keeping him healthy because of it”.

“I was arrested for no reason and held captive,” he added. “So I think I was (abused), but I was physically healthy.”



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