Danny Fenster, a 36-year-old American journalist imprisoned in Myanmar, has been released. Danny’s family confirmed the information in a statement on Monday. He has already left Myanmar for the United States.
Danny was sentenced to 11 years in prison by a Myanmar military court on Friday. From the beginning, the United States has been pressuring Myanmar to release him.
Danny Fenster has been in jail for 17 days since his arrest at Yangon International Airport in May. He was convicted of violating immigration laws, illegal associations and inciting dissent against Myanmar’s military.
Danny Fenster’s family said in a statement today that Danny was on his way to the United States after his release. The family especially thanked Ambassador Richardson for arranging his release.
Danny’s release was confirmed by Janta government spokesman J. Minh Tho, who said he had already left Myanmar. The details will be told later. An official at Napido Airport also confirmed Danny’s departure from Myanmar. However, he did not disclose the destination of his flight.
Danny was the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, a Myanmar-based news outlet. Prior to Frontier Myanmar, Danny worked for another media outlet, Myanmar Now. The media has been criticizing the junta since the military coup in the country on February 1.
