U.S. sanctions Myanmar officials to mark 1 year since military coup

The United States on Monday announced more sanctions on Myanmar officials and entities with ties to the military regime, marking the one-year anniversary of the Feb. 1 coup that has led to unrest and violence in the Southeast Asian country.

The sanctions, taken in coordination with Britain and Canada, are intended to “demonstrate the international community’s strong support for the people of Burma and to further promote accountability for the coup and the violence perpetrated by the regime,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, referring to the country by its former name.

Antony Blinken. (Kyodo)  

A total of seven individuals were targeted by the sanctions including the junta’s attorney general Thida Oo, who, according to the Treasury Department, crafted the regime’s “politically motivated” charges against ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The country’s icon of democracy has been convicted of some charges and faces several more in a total of more than a dozen cases. If convicted on all charges, she could be sentenced to over 100 years in prison.

Myanmar’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Tun Tun Oo and Tin Oo, the chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission, were also hit with sanctions for their roles in the prosecution of Suu Kyi and other pro-democracy leaders.

An entity that has provided arms and equipment to the Myanmar military regime and a company operating a port in Yangon in support of the junta were also placed under the sanctions.

The penalized individuals and entities will face asset freezes in the United States. Americans will generally be prohibited from transactions involving those blacklisted.

Britain and Canada are each imposing sanctions on two Myanmar government officials, the Treasury Department said.

According to the State Department, the Myanmar military has killed nearly 1,500 people, including women and children, and detained some 10,000 more, including journalists and foreign citizens.

The U.S. government has also recently issued a business advisory for Myanmar, citing the “heightened risks” associated with engaging in activities that could benefit the military regime.

It warned of possible “illicit finance and money laundering risks, as well as reputational and legal risks, of conducting business and utilizing supply chains under military control.”

State-owned enterprises as well as gems and precious metals are among the industries providing sources of income for the military regime, the advisory said.