Sean Turnell is an economist from Macquarie University  advising the Myanmar government. In the aftermath of the 2021 coup d’état, Sean was imprisoned for almost two years under suspicion of being a foreign spy. Before his arrest, Sean tried to leave the country, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented commercial passenger flights from leaving the country, leading to his arrest. After returning to Australia, he wrote a memoir of his ordeal titled An Unlikely Prisoner. 

Sean spoke with Tim Williams about his experience in Myanmar, the five years he was there as an advisor before his arrest, his time as a prisoner, and what the new government that had seized power wanted from him.

Image: Image: Shutterstock – R. Bociaga

Produced By: Tim Williams

Featured In Story: Dr. Sean Turnell – Author and Economist, and

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 15 November 2023