DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 15
over, referring to American missionaries
who have been kidnapped and held for
ransom in Haiti since late October (though
at press time some have been released). Levin
praised his Huntington Woods constituents
as the “heart and soul” of keeping Fenster’s
plight in the public eye for many months.
Outside the press conference, statements
of great relief from government officials at
Fenster’s release were tempered with the
message that so many political prisoners,
many of them journalists, remain behind
bars in Myanmar and around the world.
Blinken’s office released the following
statement: “We welcome the release of
American journalist Daniel Fenster from
prison in Burma, where he was wrongfully
detained for almost six months. I com-
mend Ambassador Tom Vajda and his
team at U.S. Embassy Rangoon, Special
Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs
Roger Carstens, the expertise of Consular
Affairs, and the dedicated partners, includ-
ing Gov. Bill Richardson, who helped facil-
itate Danny’s release.
“We are glad that Danny will soon be
reunited with his family as we continue to
call for the release of others who remain
unjustly imprisoned in Burma.”
Sen. Gary Peters, along with his
Michigan colleagues, repeatedly called
for the release of Danny Fenster and has
held numerous conversations with Biden
Administration officials while co-sponsor-
ing bipartisan legislation condemning the
Burmese military coup.
Welcoming Fenster home, Peters wrote:
“This nightmare is finally over for Danny’s
family, friends and loved ones. Danny was
doing incredible work telling the stories
of the Burmese people — and his unjust
detention was an attack on the freedom of
the press. That’s why I worked with admin-
istration officials and Danny’s family in
Michigan to continue to press for Danny’s
release, and I want to thank everyone who
worked tirelessly to bring Danny home.”
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter
expressed gratitude for the persistence of
the Fenster family, the negotiating skills of
Richardson and the perseverance of Danny
Fenster, a journalist “who never should
have been arrested for doing his job.
”
In a press release, Michigan state
officials such as Sen. Jeremy Moss
(D-Southfield) and Rep. Regina Weiss
(D-Oak Park) said grassroots activity in
their communities greatly contributed
toward Fenster’s release.
“I’m so grateful that, after almost six
months, Danny is finally headed home,”
Weiss said. “There is no doubt that the
tireless advocacy of Danny’s family and
so many in our community has had an
immense impact on Danny’s release. I am
elated that he will soon be back home in
Michigan with his family.”
In June, the Michigan Legislature adopt-
ed Senate Resolution 61, sponsored by
Moss, and House Resolution 118, spon-
sored by Weiss, calling for Fenster’s release
and safe return home.
“This is the moment we’ve been waiting
for,” Moss stated. “Many voices from our
community shared Danny’s story over
these last 176 days, making sure the efforts
to secure his release were fueled and ener-
gized. I’ve been in awe of the resilience,
tenacity and strength of the Fenster family
during this uncertain time.”
JOURNALISTS AT RISK
American Jewish Congress/Jewish
Community Relations Council Detroit
Executive Director Asher Lopatin in a
press release said the organization gives
gratitude to all who played an important
role in enabling his release, including
Levin and Richardson, while maintaining
grave concern for those still in peril in the
cloistered country.
“We continue to express outrage that
so many in the media, reporters and
“FENSTER WAS A JOURNAL-
IST DOING HIS JOB REPORTING
WHAT WAS HAPPENING, AND HE
SHOULDN’T SUFFER.”
— GOV. BILL RICHARDSON
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