Detained Aussie Sean Turnell returns home after 650 days in Myanmar prison

An Australian professor who languished in a Myanmar prison has landed back in Australia after 650 days.

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 on her Facebook.

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

Australian economist Sean Turnell has returned home to Australia where he reunited with his wife Ha Vu. Picture: Facebook

It follows more than 21-months of imprisonment by the military junta who took control of Myanmar last year.

Professor Turnell had been detained last year following the junta’s military coup and was sentenced to three years in prison for “violating Myanmar’s secrets act”.

“I am over the moon and speechless. So it’s best to just say THANK YOU,” Ms Vu wrote about 8am.

She also shared details of her husband’s final moments in the south-east Asian country where he had spent the better part of two years imprisoned.

“Sean was asked by a Myanmar official upon his departure “do you hate Myanmar now?”, she said

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

“Sean said “I never hate Myanmar, I love the people of Myanmar, and it’s always like that”.”

In a statement released early this morning she said she was “overwhelmed with joy” that her “beloved husband” was back home.

“After nearly 22 months apart, our priority right now is to spend time together as a family,” she said.

She also thanked the Australian diplomats who had been working so hard to secure his release.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have strongly advocated for and assisted to secure his release,” she said.

“I specially thank the Australian government, in particular DFAT, the foreign minister and her office, the embassy in Yangon for their persistent efforts and support.”

Dr Sean Turnell’s wife Ha Vu said she was ‘overwhelmed joy’. Picture: Facebook

Senator Penny Wong said Ms Vu, had been a “tower of strength”, and Professor Turnell’s release had been her first priority during the first few months of her tenure.

Months of intense lobbying by Australia and its allies paid off on Thursday for Professor Turnell, who was one of 6000 of prisoners pardoned by the junta.

Mr Albanese said Professor Turnell was in “good spirits” and wanted to thank the people of Australia who had not given up on him.

“‘People have been wonderful’, a direct quote from Sean,” Mr Albanese said upon his own arrival in Bangkok and following his conversation with Professor Turnell.

Sean Turnell is one of 700 prisoners released by Myanmar’s government, local media say. Photo: EPA

“The second was a story he told me about the Australian Embassy would give him food hampers, and they’d be in tote bags with the Australian crest on it.

“And he said that normally his food would be served in a bucket. But he would get this food, and he would eat it, and he would put the tote bags where the bars were on the cell … 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.

“And the Australian crest of course, with the kangaroo and emu that don’t go backwards. They don’t go backwards – it was very important for him.”

Welcome home soon. Be an armchair economist not an Airport economist for a little while at least! #seanturnellpic.twitter.com/5KhpDgugSD

— Tim Harcourt (@TimHarcourt) November 17, 2022

Close friend and NSW MP Janelle Saffin said she was “relieved” Professor Turnell was almost home after weeks of what she called “signals”.

“It was the night before and yesterday morning it was becoming clear (Sean could be released),” Ms Saffin told ABC Radio.

Mr Albanese said it was thanks to the hard work of Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, as well as diplomats on the ground, that Professor Turnell was now a free man.

He was charged with violating the country’s state secrets act.

Ms Saffin said the advice had always been “be persistent and consistent, be in their face and in their space. Don’t go away and we will get Sean home”.

The Australian chargé d’affaires travelled with him to Bangkok and will accompany him to Australia where he will be reunited with his wife.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said today was a “great day”.

“It is a great day for justice and a great day for our country as well,” he told the Nine Network.

The Coalition’s foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham acknowledged the efforts of the government to get Professor Turnell home.

Mr Turnell was a close advisor to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“We thank all of those who have worked so patiently, carefully and tirelessly to secure this outcome and acknowledge the numerous other nations who have also advocated for his release,” Senator Birmingham said.

“While (his) release … is welcome, the abuse of human rights and suppression of democracy in Myanmar remains a grave concern.”

Other foreigners understood to have been released during the mass pardon include former British ambassador Vicky Bowman and her husband Ko Htein Lin, Japanese filmmaker Toru Kubota and American botanist Kyaw Htay Oo.