22 U.S. sanctions, including by Myanmar’s ministers, for a military coup in Military News

Several government ministers, military coup leaders and their adult relatives are targeted.

The United States has imposed new sanctions on 22 people, including four government ministers in Myanmar in response to attacks on the February military coup and the country’s pro-democracy movement.

In a two-party action, the Department of the Treasury and Commerce announced the sanctions on Friday, as part of Washington’s ongoing response. The government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was elected in February.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that new sanctions were imposed “in response to the brutal campaign of violence carried out by the Burmese military regime and to continue to impose costs associated with the military coup.”

The sanctions are not directed at the people of Myanmar, but are aimed at putting pressure on the military to “immediately restore Burma’s (Myanmar) path to democracy,” Blinken said.

The sanctions target Myanmar’s information minister Chit Naing, investment minister Aung Naing Oo, labor and immigration minister Myint Kyaing and social welfare, relief and relocation minister Thet Thet Khine.

Three members of the powerful State Board of Directors were also punished, as well as the adult children of 15 spouses and officials, in the extension of the sentences imposed in February, March and May after the coup.

Under the penalties, all U.S. property in the name of these individuals is blocked and Americans or U.S. people are prohibited from conducting property or interest transactions with them.

Andrea Gacki, director of the Office of the Treasury for the Control of Foreign Assets, said the action “will continue to impose higher costs on the Burmese military and promote responsibility for those responsible for the military coup and ongoing violence.”

USA and other western countries they have already imposed various sanctions against individuals in Myanmar since the coup.

Number of dead

The Department of Commerce, meanwhile, imposed sanctions on four business entities: King Royal Technologies Co., which provides satellite communications services to support the military; and Wanbao Mining and its two subsidiaries, which have revenue distribution agreements with a company that helps fund the country’s defense ministry.

The action came when Myanmar rejected new figures released by the United Nations. He said security forces had killed at least 883 unarmed people in the country, with at least 40 people believed to be under arrest.

In a statement on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman told reporters that the country’s agency’s agency group had also determined that 5,202 people had been arrested against what the military had taken.

Tonight has been successfully demonstrated by a night light candle strike against the military dictatorship led by the youth of Nyaw Pyin (Launglon Township). #What’s going on in Myanmar # July2 Group pic.twitter.com/Pdg1xMrJcY

– Nyinyi (@ Nyinyi92381213) July 3, 2021

Myanmar’s foreign ministry said in a statement that it was “strongly opposed” to the numbers presented by the United Nations.

“The non-unilateral issuance of unannounced notices by the United Nations should be verified without verification and to verify sensitive information with the relevant focal ministries prior to release,” the document added.

Authorities released more than 2,000 protesters against the coup on Wednesday From prisons across Myanmar, local journalists have been jailed after criticizing military repression.

On Saturday, more people were released from prison as Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the country’s military leader, celebrates his birthday.

Meanwhile, protesters continued to challenge Min Aung Hlaingen’s leadership, denouncing nationwide protests on Saturday. Many demonstrators also held a symbolic cremation of his image while placing funeral wreaths bearing the general’s name.

Protests also took place in the country’s second city of Mandalay on Friday despite a blockade order being issued by COVID. The order covers at least two million people.

Myanmar’s crumbling health system is already making efforts to respond to the pandemic ahead of the February coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi.

Thousands of doctors, volunteers and officials have joined the massive civil disobedience campaign since the coup to protest against the military regime.

Myanmar has reported 3,347 virus-related deaths, although the true figures could be higher.