A Myanmar junta court sentenced an American journalist to 11 years in prison on Friday. He was found guilty on several charges, including incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information.
Danny Fenster, the managing editor of the independent news publication Frontier Myanmar, had been detained since May. His lawyer Than Zaw Aung said he was also found guilty of contacting illegal organizations and violating visa regulations.
“Everyone at Frontier is disappointed and frustrated at this decision. We just want to see Danny released as soon as possible so he can go home to his family,” Editor-in-Chief Thomas Kean said in a statement.
Since the military junta overthrew the elected government, Fenster is the only foreign journalist to face serious charges. The sentencing was based on “evidence” from the Information Ministry.
The evidence showed that at the time of arrest, he had been working at a local outlet, Myanmar Now, which had its license revoked shortly after the coup.
“There is absolutely no basis to convict Danny of these charges. His legal team clearly demonstrated to the court that he had resigned from Myanmar Now and was working for Frontierfrom the middle of last year,” said the statement from his employer.
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