Myanmar coup: US imposes fresh sanctions on 22 persons

The US on Friday announced fresh sanctions on 22 persons including four Myanmar government ministers. The Treasury and Commerce Department, in a two-pronged action, announced the sanctions  as part of Washington's continued response to the overthrow of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government

Aung San Suu Kyi's government was toppled by Myanmar military junta in a coup on February 1. The country has been rocked by pro-democracy protests. Military junta has received international condemnation for the disproportionate use of force against the demonstrators.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the new sanctions were levied "in response to the brutal campaign of violence perpetrated by the Burmese military regime and to continue imposing costs in connection with the military coup."

The sanctions do not target the Myanmar people, but are aimed at pressuring the military to "immediately restore Burma's path to democracy," Blinken said.

Myanmar's minister of information Chit Naing, minister for investment Aung Naing Oo,  labor and immigration minister Myint Kyaing, and Thet Thet Khine, the minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement are the ministers the US led sanctions have targetted.

Three members of the powerful State Administrative Council were also hit with sanctions, as were 15 spouses and adult children of officials, in an expansion of US punishments imposed in February, March and May following the coup.

Under the sanctions, all US property in the name of the individuals are blocked, and Americans or people in the United States are prohibited from conducting property or interest transactions with them.

Andrea Gacki, director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, said in a statement the action demonstrates Washington "will continue to impose increasing costs on Burma's military and promote accountability for those responsible for the military coup and ongoing violence." 

(With inputs from agencies)