Myanmar could sentence Danny Fenster to life in prison

Danny Fenster, an American journalist, has been charged in Myanmar with new crimes that are punishable by life in prison, his lawyer said. Fenster, 37, has been detained in Myanmar for more than five months. Since his May 24 arrest, he has been kept in Insein Prison in Yangon, the country's largest city.

The Yangon courthouse filed sedition and terrorism charges against Fenster on Tuesday - the most serious charges so far against the journalist, his lawyer. Among the charges is a violation of Section 124a of Myanmar's Penal Code, which punishes anyone attempting to stir up hatred, contempt, or disaffection toward the government or military with seven to 20 years in prison.

Fenster now faces a total of five different charges, including visa violations, unlawful associations with illegal groups, and incitement under section 505a of Myanmar's penal code, which makes it a crime to publish or circulate false or inflammatory information. His first court case will be decided on November 15.
He is one of about 100 journalists detained since the military seized power in a February 1 coup, of which about 30 remain in prison.

There are few details available regarding Fenster's case and it is unclear why he was arrested. In prisons, trials and hearings are not held in civilian courts, but in military courts. Members of the public, reporters, and embassy officials are prohibited from attending.

As part of its efforts to silence the country's media, the military junta, which seized power on February 1, revoked independent publishing licenses, raided newspaper offices and targeted journalists for arrest.

His family is fighting tirelessly for his release. The Biden Administration and the US Department of State are being urged to secure his release and return to the United States. Ned Price, a spokesman for the US State Department, said in September that the US remains "deeply concerned" about Fenster's continued detention.

* This article contained information that was sourced from CNN | Image credit: Bryan Fenster