Fenster was arrested on May 24 while attempting to board a flight to leave Myanmar. According to his brother, Fenster was travelling in order to visit his family in the United States. Authorities have provided no justification for Fenster’s arrest.

Frontier Myanmar, Fenster’s employer, said “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.”

There have been escalating attacks on the media by Myanmar’s military in recent months. IFJ reporting has found that since the start of the military coup on February 1, 87 journalists have been arrested, 45 have been detained and 44 have been prosecuted.

This is the second case of Myanmar’s military arresting a foreign journalist, after Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi was arrested in April and released in May.

The IFJ said:“We call upon Myanmar’s military to release Danny Fenster. The press must have the ability to report in Myanmar during these tumultuous times and be given freedom of movement within Myanmar’s borders and beyond. Extrajudicial arrests are a stain on the soul of rule of law in Myanmar.”