Danny Fenster Wiki
Danny Fenster Biography
Who is Danny Fenster ?
A Myanmar military court sentenced American journalist Danny Fenster to 11 years in prison.
Fenster was convicted of violating immigration law, illegal association and encouraging dissent against the military.
Danny Fenster the managing editor of online magazine Frontier Myanmar, was sentenced in a junta court on Friday, dealing a blow to US efforts to secure his release.
Danny Fenster is an American journalist of Jewish heritage. He is the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, a local news magazine. In the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d’état, Fenster became the only foreign journalist to be charged by military authorities. Wikipedia
Earlier this week, he was slapped with two additional counts of sedition and terrorism, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.wikipedia
The American is among dozens of journalists who were detained in Myanmar after protests and strikes broke out after the coup, hampering the army’s efforts to consolidate power. The board has accused the independent media of incitement.
The military has squeezed the press since it took power, arresting dozens of journalists critical of its crackdown on dissent, limiting Internet access, and revoking licenses for local media outlets.
More than 100 journalists have been arrested since the coup, according to Reporting ASEAN, a monitoring group. It says 31 are still in custody.
More than 1,200 civilians have been killed in protests and thousands have been detained since the coup, according to activists cited by the United Nations.
The United States has been pushing for Fenster’s release. The US embassy in Myanmar did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday’s verdict.
How old is Danny Fenster ?
He is 1984 (age 37 years), United States
Charges
His trial on the new charges will begin on November 16.
Fenster, 37, who was the editor-in-chief of the Frontier Myanmar online site, was detained at Yangon International Airport in May. He is one of dozens of local journalists who have been detained since a military coup in February.
According to Frontier, Fenster had previously worked for Myanmar Now, an independent news site that has been critical of the military since the coup.
“All charges were based on the allegation that he worked for the banned media outlet Myanmar Now. Danny had resigned from Myanmar Now in July 2020 and joined Frontier the following month, so at the time of his arrest in May 2021 I had been working with Frontier for more than nine months, “the news site said.
“There is absolutely no basis to convict Danny of these charges.”
His sentencing on Friday comes months after a Japanese freelance journalist was arrested in Myanmar and charged with spreading false news.
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Yuki Kitazumi, who reported for many of Japan’s major media outlets, was one of the few foreign reporters in the country. Myanmar authorities maintain that he violated the law, but released him because Japan had requested it.
Danny Fenster’s trial took place behind closed doors, literally inside Insein prison, where he and many of those detained since the February coup are being held.
We only know what his attorneys can tell us about the process. But the charges that the military authorities have brought against him are clearly absurd. The prosecutor claimed that they are related to his employment with the independent news organization Myanmar Now, one of the five media organizations that the military attacked after the coup, canceling their broadcast licenses.
But Danny Fenster left Myanmar Now in May 2020 and joined Frontier news magazine. This was made clear in court by his lawyers, supported by a document, but ignored by the judge, who imposed the maximum penalty on the three charges.
The Biden administration has increased pressure on the regime, particularly through sanctions targeting high-profile military officials and calling for the restoration of the elected government. It’s hard to see the United States softening its stance to remove Fenster. Perhaps the military is waiting for a gesture, a photo session with an American official; friendless and isolated, the board could see him as a valuable prize for releasing him.
It also sends a chilling message to all journalists in Myanmar. If they are willing to snub a superpower like the United States and take one of its citizens hostage, the treatment of local journalists can be even harsher.
As always with Myanmar generals, their true motives are hard to guess.
The United States has lobbied the military government to release him, but a military spokesman insisted that Fenster should be in custody.
In a pre-sentencing statement, the US State Department commented that “the deeply unjust nature of Danny’s detention is apparent to everyone. The regime should take the prudent step to release him now.”
The United States has not yet ruled on the ruling.
Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia at Human Rights Watch, told the BBC that the verdict was “a parody of justice by a kangaroo court” intended to intimidate all remaining journalists working inside Myanmar.
Meanwhile, Richard Horsey, senior adviser to Crisis Group Myanmar, described the sentence as “outrageous”.
“He sends a message not only to international journalists … but also to Myanmar journalists that reporting objectively on the situation can lead to many years in prison,” he told AFP news agency.
The American is among dozens of journalists who were detained in Myanmar after protests and strikes erupted following the coup in which more than 1,200 civilians were killed
Frontier Myanmar editor Sonny Swe, who spent eight years in prison during the previous era of military rule, announced Fenster’s imprisonment on Twitter with the message: “A lot is going so wrong in this country.”
Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia at Human Rights Watch, said Fenster’s imprisonment was outrageous and was intended to send warning messages to the media and the United States.
“The board’s rationale for this scandalous rights abuse ruling is, first of all, to shock and intimidate all remaining Burmese journalists inside Myanmar by punishing a foreign journalist in this way,” he said.
“The second message is more strategic, it focuses on sending a message to the United States that the Tatmadaw generals do not appreciate being hit with economic sanctions and can respond with hostage diplomacy,” he said.
Danny Fenster Quick and Facts
- US journalist Danny Fenster, 37, jailed for 11 years in a Myanmar court on Friday
- He was found guilty of ‘incitement against the military’ following the Feb 1 coup
- Fenster also faces more charges of terrorism, which could see him jailed for life
Source: https://wikisoon.com/
