US blacklists Pak surgeon, Myanmar general among several others
The US government today blacklisted a top Myanmar General over alleged human rights abuses including a Pakistani surgeon for trafficking in human organs as the Trump administration cracked down on several individuals including companies which it believes have been responsible for abuses and corrupt practices.
"Today's actions advance our values and promote the security of the United States, our allies and our partners," US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said.
The list includes Myanmar's General Maung Maung Soe, Pakistani surgeon Mukhtar Hamid Shah, Gambia's former president Yahya Jammeh and Gulnara Karimova who is the first woman on the list.
The names on the US list consists of officials and businessmen from across the world including Pakistan, China, Russia, Congo, Ukraine, Guatemala and Serbia.
President Trump has signed an executive order blocking any assets the individuals or companies might have in banks or property on US soil.
"Treasury is freezing their assets and publicly denouncing the egregious acts they've committed, sending a message that there is a steep price to pay for their misdeeds," Secretary of treasury Steven T Mnuchin said.
The US report claims Myanmar's general Maung Maung Soe oversaw "killings, sexual violence, and arbitrary arrest as well as the widespread burning of villages" in Myanmar.
Rawalpindi-based Pakistani surgeon Mukhtar Hamid Shah who owns a kidney centre has also been blacklisted as US officials believe he was responsible for removal of kidneys from Pakistani labourers and allegedly involved in trafficking in human organs.
US officials said Gambia's former president Yahya Jammeh, who stepped down recently once ran a "terror and assassination squad called the Junglers."
The sanctions list includes Roberto Jose Rivas Reyes, president of Nicaragua's supreme electoral council, Dan Gertler, an international businessman and Slobodan Tesic, an alleged arms dealer in the Balkans.
Benjamin Bol Mel (Bol Mel), president of ABMC Thai-South Sudan Construction Company Limited, Gulnara Karimova, daughter of former Uzbekistan leader Islam Karimov, Angel Rondon Rijo, a businessman in the Dominican Republic, Artem Chayka, son of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, Gao Yan, Beijing Public Security Bureau Chaoyang Branch director, Sergey Kusiuk , commander of Ukrainian police unit, Julio Antonio Juarez Ramirez, a Guatemalan Congressman and Yankuba Badjie from Gambia are also on the US list.