US Treasury Sanctions 7 Key Myanmar Military Figures and 2 Organizations on '1 Year Since Coup'

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The U.S. Biden administration has placed seven key figures of the Myanmar military and two organizations on the sanctions list, marking one year since the coup.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on the 31st (local time) that "the Myanmar military tried to suppress the will of the people expressed in the general election and undermined the country's democracy and rule of law."

The sanctions target seven key figures of the Myanmar military and two organizations. Included are Thida Oo, who led the judicial prosecution against State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in cooperation with the military, Tun Tun Oo, Chief Justice of the Myanmar Supreme Court, and Tin Oo, Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission. Also listed are the port management company KTSL, which provides economic support to the Myanmar military regime, its director Jonathan Myo Taung, the Central Procurement Committee that supplied military equipment, and Tay Za, owner of a company related to military equipment.

Under this measure, all assets of the individuals on the list are frozen and must be reported. Transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States are also prohibited. The Treasury Department explained that this action is a joint measure with the United Kingdom and Canada, which each issued sanctions orders against two officials.

Brian Nelson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing at the Treasury Department, said, "One year after the coup, the United States, together with allies such as the United Kingdom and Canada, supports the people of Myanmar who seek freedom and democracy. We will target those responsible for the coup and ongoing violence, those who promote the regime's brutal repression, and those who financially support them."