US citizen detained in Myanmar: embassy

An American citizen is being wrongfully detained in junta-ruled Myanmar, a US embassy spokesperson informed AFP on Friday.

“We’re conscious of the wrongful detention of a US citizen in Burma,” the spokesperson informed AFP, utilizing the nation’s former title.

The US has led Western criticism of the coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s authorities final 12 months and slapped sanctions on top-ranking members of the junta and military-linked corporations.

A number of foreigners have since been arrested within the junta’s crackdown on dissent.

The spokesperson didn’t give particulars on how lengthy the US citizen had been detained or whether or not they had been charged by junta authorities.

Workers have been “offering all acceptable consular help”, they stated.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden opened the way in which for sanctions towards governments that unjustly imprison People and ordered extra detailed journey warnings after a collection of high-profile detentions.

The transfer got here after broad media protection of the detention in Russia on drug expenses of basketball star Brittney Griner, whose spouse initially stated Biden was not doing sufficient.

The US State Division, in its journey advisories for People, now highlights by which nations there may be an elevated threat of unjust detention.

Myanmar has been included within the preliminary group of countries that may bear a “D” mark for detention threat, together with China, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela.

In an up to date journey advisory, the State Division stated it had decided that “no less than one US nationwide” was wrongfully detained in Myanmar.

Polish photojournalist Robert Bociaga and Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi have been each detained through the early protests towards the coup.

US citizen Nathan Maung was arrested in March final 12 months throughout a police raid on the native media outlet he ran and charged with encouraging dissent towards the navy.

He was launched months later.

Fellow journalist and US citizen Danny Fenster was detained in Could 2021 and in November was handed an 11-year sentence for illegal affiliation, incitement towards the navy and breaching visa guidelines.

© Agence France-Presse