(Reuters) – American journalist Danny Fenster was released from prison on Monday in military-ruled Myanmar, three days after he was sentenced to 11 years in a ruling that drew international condemnation.
Fenster was among thousands of people – including dozens of media workers – detained since a Feb. 1 coup that abruptly ended a decade of tentative steps towards democracy in Myanmar.
According to rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 10,143 people have been arrested since the coup and 1,260 people killed in violence in the country.
Here are some of the most prominent detainees held by the junta:
AUNG SAN SUU KYI
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi led the elected government overthrown by the military and was arrested in an early morning raid on Feb. 1.
She is facing 11 criminal cases, including two for corruption and one for violating the Official Secrets Act. The charges carry a maximum of more than 100 years’ prison sentence. Her trial is ongoing. Suu Kyi had previously spent 15 years under house arrest during the last era of military rule.
SEAN TURNELL
Suu Kyi’s Australian economic adviser, Turnell, was arrested five days after the coup and charged under colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a 14-year prison sentence. His trial is ongoing.
WIN MYINT
Myanmar’s ousted president and head of state, Win Myint, was also detained early on Feb. 1, when, according to his court testimony, he was threatened if he refused to relinquish power. He has been charged with incitement and natural disaster management law that carry a maximum total of five years in prison. His trial is ongoing.
WIN HTEIN
A close aide to Suu Kyi and senior member of her political party, Win Htein, 79, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of high treason last month. He was a longtime political prisoner during decades of campaigning to end army rule before 2010.
(Editing by Bernadette Baum)
