An American editor for the independent news site Frontier Myanmar was detained Monday after attempting to leave the country, the company said.
The site said that Danny Fenster, a managing editor for the company, was detained for unknown reasons before boarding a plane to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The publication added that he had been transferred to Insein Prison in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city.
“We do not know why Danny was detained and have not been able to contact him,” Frontier Myanmar said in a statement. “We are concerned for his wellbeing and call for his immediate release.”
“Our priorities right now are to make sure he is safe and to provide him with whatever assistance he needs,” the publication said. (RELATED: Myanmar’s Military Blocks Facebook Access Following Coup)
Statement from Frontier Myanmar
Frontier’s managing editor, Danny Fenster, was detained at Yangon International Airport this morning shortly before he was due to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur. We understand he has been transferred to Insein Prison in Yangon. (1/2)
— Frontier Myanmar (@FrontierMM) May 24, 2021
Fenster is not the first journalist to be detained in Myanmar since the military staged a coup in February. Six reporters, including one for the Associated Press, were detained in March while reporting on the deadly crackdown across the country, and a BBC journalist was abducted by men in plain clothes in March while reporting in Naypyidaw, the country’s capital. (RELATED: Protesters Attempt To Defend Themselves From Rubber Bullets And Teargas In Myanmar)
Though the coup has been met with large, determined protests by Myanmar’s citizens, the military has not hesitated to resort to violence. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 824 people have been killed since the coup began, and 4,301 have been arrested, charged or sentenced.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.