Danny Fenster, an American journalist who was detained in Myanmar on May 24th, has been slapped with an additional immigration charge by the military government. Yesterday, a “private humanitarian meeting” between former US envoy to the United Nations Bill Richardson and the military leadership and top officials in Myanmar.
The Richardson Centre for Global Engagement released the following statement: “The main focus of my discussions was to identify specific ways to speed the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility to Myanmar and to help mitigate a possible fourth wave of COVID-19”. COVAX is an international initiatives to ensure supply of vaccines to poor and developing countries.
Although his statements did not mention Fernster, there were hopes that he may be able to work towards his release as he has done the same for Americans detained in hostile countries in the past. He was, however, able to secure the release from prison of Aye Moe, a woman employee at his centre.
Charges On Fernster
Fernester has been charged with “spreading false or inflammatory information” carrying a three-year prison term, and under the country’s Unlawful Associations Act for being allegedly involved with illegal opposition groups, which carries another two or three year term in jail.
The United States has expressed a firm position against the current military dictatorship in Myanmar and has imposed economic and diplomatic sanctions.
In 2016 during the Trump presidency, Otto Warmbier, a 20-year-old American college student, was imprisoned in North Korea and returned to his home country in a comatose state, dying shortly thereafter. It was widely alleged that he was a victim of torture.
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