The country’s ruling military junta has accused a US journalist detained in Myanmar of terrorism and sedition. He has been imprisoned in the country since May this year. If convicted, the journalist could face up to life in prison. His lawyer, J Aung, told AFP on Wednesday.
The arrested journalist’s name is Danny Fenster (38). He was the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, a Myanmar-based news outlet. He was detained in Yangon in May while leaving the country.......................................
New charges were brought against Fenster on Tuesday. The trial will begin on November 18. He is also accused of inciting anti-military protests, contacting various parties outside the law, and violating immigration laws. Attorney J Aung said Fenster was disappointed with the new charges.
Earlier, the military junta overthrew the National League for Democracy (NLD) government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a military coup on February 1. Since then, anti-military protests have erupted in the country.
Local surveillance agencies say more than 1,200 people have been killed by junta forces in the crackdown on dissent since the coup. Myanmar’s media has been put under pressure. Many of them have had their licenses revoked.
Hundreds of journalists have been arrested since the coup, according to the surveillance agency ASEAN. The agency said 31 of them were still being held in Myanmar.
