Blinken, Michigan Governor Discuss Case of Reporter Detained in Myanmar - State Dept.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd July, 2021) Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer discussed US government efforts to help release journalist Danny Fenster - a Michigan native - who was detained in Myanmar by the country's military junta in May, State Department spokesperson Ned price on Friday.
"Governor Whitmer expressed thanks for the State Department's continued commitment to secure Fenster's release," Price said in a readout of the conversation.
Fenster, 37, worked as managing editor of the Frontier Myanmar news magazine and was detained on May 24 at Yangon International Airport as he attempted to board an airplane to leave the country.
Media reported in June that Fenster appeared before a special court in Yangon's Insein Prison to face charges under a law that criminalizes encouraging dissent against the Myanmar military.
On February 1, the military seized control of Myanmar in a coup d'état that prompted protests throughout the country.
The military authorities have said their action was justified given the irregularities in the last election and have promised to transfer power after a new election is held.
Blinken and Whitmer also discussed the issue of Canadian energy giant Enbridge Energy's Line 5 pipeline, the readout said.
"Secretary Blinken noted that there is no formal bilateral process between the Federal governments of the United States and Canada concerning Line 5," Price said.
In November, Whitmer announced the Michigan government was moving forward with its plan to shut down Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline through the Straits of Mackinac, citing the threat of oil spills to the environment and the economy.
The Canadian government has said the 540,000 barrels of predominantly western Canadian oil and natural gas flowing through the pipeline daily is essential to the operations of certain Canadian provinces and US states, including Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.