Australian Sean Turnell has arrived in Australia following release from Myanmar jail

Sean Turnell’s wife has shared a happy snap following his return to Melbourne after 21 months in a Myanmar jail.

Australian economist Sean Turnell has touched down on Australian soil after 650 days inside a Myanmar prison.

His wife Ha Vu shared the first photograph of her “beloved husband” once they were back in each other’s arms in Melbourne just after 11am.

“He is here,” she wrote.

Sean Turnell has landed in Australia and been reunited with his wife, Ha Vu. Picture: Twitter/ Tim Harcourt/ Ha Vu

The long-time policy adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi arrived at Melbourne airport about 10.30am after flying from Bangkok, Thailand.

Professor Turnell was released from a Myanmar hellhole jail with the military junta, after 21 months, to mark National Day.

Professor Turnell, a Macquarie University academic, was working as an adviser to Myanmar’s civilian leader Suu Kyi when he was detained shortly after the coup in February last year.

In September he and Suu Kyi were convicted by a closed junta court of breaching the official secrets act and jailed for three years each.

The Australian Government voiced its objection at the spurious charge and conviction while human rights groups branded the closed court hearings a sham.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong shared a new photo of Mr Turnell with DFAT Head of Mission in Myanmar, Angela Corcoran, on Thursday night.

“Wonderful news - Professor Sean Turnell is free and on his way home to his family. I’ve just had the chance to speak with him,” Ms Wong said in the caption.

Wonderful news - Professor Sean Turnell is free and on his way home to his family. I’ve just had the chance to speak with him.

I thank everyone who worked tirelessly for his release, including @DFAT staff like our Head of Mission in Myanmar, Angela Corcoran, pictured here. pic.twitter.com/TeWUgZYpiV

— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) November 17, 2022

Anthony Albanese on Thursday said he had spoken to Professor Turnell on the phone following his release.

“He was in really, really good spirits. He was making jokes,” the prime minister told reporters in Bangkok where he is attending the APEC summit.

“He is from my electorate and apologised for not voting at the election. I assured him he wouldn’t be fined and that it was understandable.”

Mr Albanese wanted to thank everyone that advocated for him to be freed and saying “people have been wonderful”.

He said Mr Turnell would need to undergo medical checks following his lengthy period in jail.

“That can have a physical toll, but it can have other health tolls as well. We need to bear that in mind. And we need to give him the space to recover,” he said.

Mr Albanese revealed that food in the prison was normally served in a bucket, but the embassy provided food hampers with the Australian crest.

“He would put the tote bags at where the bars were on the cell in which he was being detained so that both he could see, and the guards who were detaining him could see the Australian Crest so that he could keep that optimism,” he said.

Sean Turnell receives a shot of the Covid vaccine at Insein Prison, according to a military-run newspaper. Picture: Handout / MYANMAR NEWS AGENCY / AFP

His wife Dr Ha Vu had repeatedly vocally campaigned for her husband’s release along with other family and friends in Sydney.

Former British envoy Vicky Bowman, her artist husband Htien Lin and Japanese journalist Toru Kubota who were also jailed post the coup and were also set to be released.

Ms Bowman, who served as ambassador from 2002 to 2006, was detained with her husband in August for failing to declare she was living at an address different from the one listed on her foreigner’s registration certificate. They were later jailed for one year while Mr Kubota, 26, who was detained in July near an anti-government rally in Yangon was jailed for 10 years.

All the pardons were made as part of Myanmar’s National Day with hundreds of families gathering outside Insein prison in Yangon ahead of the formal announcement and imminent release of prisoners.

Dr Sean Turnell with his wife Ha Vu. Turnell was arrested and detained by the military in Myanmar as part of a coup. Picture: Facebook

Just how many prisoners, many arrested post the coup, were set to be released was not clear with reports between 700 and 6000.

Myanmar Now, an independent news outlet, cited the military council as saying the pardons were granted because it was Myanmar National Day and the release could involve thousands.

“On National day, the military council announced that almost 6,000 prisoners were released. Among those were four foreigners and 11 celebrities,” the news report said.

DFAT has yet to comment.

Independent Myanmar analyst David Mathieson said the mass amnesty was a surprise.

“Professor Turnell’s release is remarkable news after being held hostage by the regime, and his family and friends will be delighted,” he told media.

But he added the junta “shows no sign of reform and a mass amnesty doesn’t absolve them of atrocities committed since the coup”.

Originally published as Australian Sean Turnell has arrived in Australia following release from Myanmar jail