US secures release of American in Myanmar and seeks help for scholar in China

The United States has secured the release of Adam Castillo, an American businessman and former head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar, following three months of detention in Naypyitaw. Castillo, a former U.S. Marine, was detained in June on allegations of breach of trust and financial impropriety. Following meetings between a U.S. delegation and Myanmar officials, he was deported via Bangkok. The Trump administration and the nonprofit Global Reach were credited with facilitating his release.

In a separate matter, Sylvia Zin, the wife of UC Berkeley scholar Min Zin, testified before a U.S. House subcommittee requesting that President Donald Trump advocate for her husband’s release during his upcoming state visit to China. Min Zin, a specialist in Myanmar politics, was detained by Chinese state security in June on suspicion of endangering national security. He is one of two Americans, including seismologist Chen Youlin, designated by the State Department as wrongfully detained in China. Families of detainees are increasingly appealing to high-level diplomatic engagements to secure the return of U.S. citizens held abroad.