EU sanctions 10 officials, 2 companies
The EU has announced sanctions against 10 Myanmar junta officials and two conglomerates linked to the military over the crackdown on protesters in their country.
The military has ramped up its attempts to crush dissent following mass demonstrations against its ousting of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, with at least 737 civilians killed and the press increasingly under attack.
International pressure has been steadily building on the junta, although it has so far appeared to ignore all condemnation.
Announcing the sanctions on officials, EU member states said the individuals “are all responsible for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar/Burma, and for repressive decisions and serious human rights violations”.
The two firms hit with asset freezes and visa bans, Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC), were “owned and controlled by the Myanmar Armed Forces [Tatmadaw], and provide revenue for it”, the statement added.
The companies dominate sectors including trading, alcohol, cigarettes and consumer goods.
The officials targeted are mostly members of the ruling State Administration Council seen as responsible for undermining the democracy in the southeast Asian nation, EU diplomats said.
The announcement came after Japan urged Myanmar authorities on Monday to release from prison a Japanese journalist accused of spreading fake news, one of at least 65 reporters arrested during the junta’s crackdown.
Yuki Kitazumi was detained on Sunday, and a Japanese embassy spokesman confirmed that he had been
transferred overnight from a police watchhouse to the Insein prison.
Insein is notorious for holding political prisoners.
Japanese diplomats had sought permission to visit him in jail but that request had not yet been granted, an embassy spokesman said.
Myanmar authorities told the embassy the journalist was not physically harmed during the arrest and was in good health.
State media later confirmed he had been charged.
At least 34 journalists and photographers are in custody across Myanmar, says monitoring group Reporting ASEAN.