The Australian government says it is "deeply concerned" after the Myanmar military junta revoked Sean Turnell's prison pardon and summoned him to face court.
Professor Turnell, an academic at Macquarie University and an economic advisor to Myanmar's ousted de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was arbitrarily detained for 650 days in the South-East Asian nation following a brutal military coup.
He was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison in a closed-door military court for violating the Official Secrets Act, in a trial human rights observers described as a sham.
In November last year, he was granted an amnesty and released, returning to his family and friends in Australia who had been tireless in campaigning for him.
Professor Turnell was vocal about his experience in prison and the regime's cruel treatment of its own people.
In a decree from December, which was circulated on social media this month, the military junta alleged he had shared "misinformation" about Myanmar in interviews and on social media, claiming this was a violation of his pardon conditions.
They annulled his amnesty decree and ordered him to appear before a Myanmar court.
The ABC understands the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade called in Myanmar's Chargé d'Affaires last month to convey Australia's deep concern over the matter.
"The government is deeply concerned that Myanmar authorities have annulled Professor Turnell's amnesty and issued a subpoena for him to appear in a Myanmar court," DFAT said in a statement.
"The Australian government never accepted the basis of Professor Turnell's detention, nor the charges against him, and we are disappointed that he is now being asked to answer for an undefined offence following his release from detention."
The Myanmar embassy in Canberra has been contacted for comment.
NSW state MP Janelle Saffin, a friend of Professor Turnell, described the junta's latest move as "political persecution" and "complete legal nonsense".
She said the military junta, which calls itself the State Administrative Council (SAC), "is unconstitutional and lacks political legitimacy".
"It uses the law to suit its political purposes and does not adhere to any legal norms or principles," she said.
"It appropriates law to its arsenal of weapons in order to persecute political opponents or anyone else who gets in its way of holding on to power.
"It is clear from these actions that [military leader] Min Aung Hlaing sees Professor Turnell as a major obstacle to his political ambitions.
"In the eyes of the Myanmar people Professor Turnell is a hero, whilst Min Aung Hlaing is widely and resoundingly disliked and disparaged."
Renewed calls for sanctions as anniversary looms
The Australian representative for the National Unity Government — an alternative body set up by democratically-elected officials — Dr Tun-Aung Shwe said the incident shows the military's true colours.
"The military junta is upset [with] Sean Turnell, because he revealed what is the real situation in Myanmar and how the military junta is treating its own people," he said.
Dr Shwe said this was an attempt to impact Professor Turnell's life even in Australia, adding the decree could impact his ability to travel overseas for fear of extradition to Myanmar from a third country.
"That is how the junta disrupt the ordinary people's lives, not only in Myanmar but also internationally," he said.
Next week marks the two year anniversary of the military coup, and activists have repeatedly called on the government to impose targeted sanctions against the junta.
Some observers suggested Australia was reluctant to issue new sanctions against the regime while Professor Turnell was being detained in the country, which has been described as "hostage diplomacy".
Dr Shwe said he was concerned that Australia had not yet imposed any new sanctions since the coup and urged Foreign Minister Penny Wong to do so as soon as possible.
"I do believe the Australian government is going to impose a targeted sanctions against the junta sooner or later," he said, adding the Labor party had raised it as an issue while in opposition.
"Australia needs to stand together with other liberal democratic countries, and try imposing targeted sanctions against the military junta.
"That is meaningful for the people of Myanmar, even if it's symbolic."
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has previously said fresh sanctions are under active consideration.
Australia previously imposed sanctions on the military in response to the Rohingya crisis, but DFAT said it would not be appropriate to discuss whether additional people or entities are being considered for sanctions.
Since the military seized power on February 1, 2021, more than 2,800 people have been killed in bloody crackdowns on street protests and air strikes on villages, and more than 17,000 arrested, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
Four people have also been executed by hanging, and fears remain for more than 100 people on death row.
The junta, also called the Tatmadaw, defended the executions as in accordance with the law and has branded the NUG and various armed resistance organisations as terrorist groups.
The junta is planning to stage an election in the coming months in a bid to shore up the legitimacy of its rule.
"It is outrageous that they could even say with a straight face that they intend to have a free and fair election," UN's Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, told BBC Newsnight.
"You cannot have a free and fair election if you arrest, detain, torture and execute the opposition."
