US journalist Fenster jailed for 11 years in Myanmar

Danny Fenster, an American journalist has been jailed for 11 years by a court in Myanmar on Friday (November 12).

A court in military-ruled Myanmar jailed the journalist for 11 years, his lawyer and his employer said, dealing a blow to U.S. efforts to secure his release.

The journalist was working as a managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, one of the country's top independent news outlets.

The 37-year-old was found guilty of incitement and violations of immigration and unlawful associations laws, his magazine said, describing the sentences imposed as "the harshest possible under the law". 

Danny Fenster was detained at Yangon airport in Ma while trying to leave the country and has since been held in Yangon's notorious Insein prison.

He is the first Western journalist to be jailed in recent years in Myanmar.

"There is absolutely no basis to convict Danny of these charges," said Thomas Kean, editor-in-chief of Frontier Myanmar.

He further added, "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".

His family has repeatedly called for his release. 

Fenster's trial had not been made public and a spokesman for the junta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The US had earlier said that Fenster's detention was "profoundly unjust" and "plain for the world to see", urging the junta to release him immediately.

Myanmar military has rescinded media licenses, imposed curbs on the internet and satellite broadcasts, and arrested dozens of journalists, since the February coup.

Since the military coup, more than 1,200 civilians have been killed in protests and thousands detained according to activists cited by the United Nations