July 5, 2024
Sean Turnell has reported via his social media that Myanmar’s military junta and associated crony bankers have hired foreign lawyers to intimidate and silence him. Turnell noted that this is not the first time such intimidation tactics have been employed, but they have previously failed.
Turnell, who served as a “Special Economic Advisor” to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratic government from 2016 to 2021, was arrested along with other key figures on February 1, 2021, following the military coup. He, along with former Finance Ministers U Soe Win and U Kyaw Win, and former Deputy Minister U Set Aung, was charged under the Official Secrets Act, leading to a three-year prison sentence.
Although Turnell was released on November 17, 2022, after a year of detention, his pardon was later revoked, resulting in his re-arrest. He was freed again alongside former British Ambassador Vicky Bowman and Japanese director Toru Kubota, before being deported to Australia.
Turnell, who authored “Fiery Dragons: Banks, Moneylenders and Microfinance in Burma” in 2009, recently published “An Unlikely Prisoner” detailing his prison experiences. He has been actively fundraising internationally to support the National Unity Government (NUG).
Currently, Turnell continues his work with the NUG, which has led to ongoing threats from the junta and their affiliated bankers.
