The United States announced Thursday the imposition of sanctions against the leaders of the military coup in Myanmar (Burma), and a number of gem companies, while the police continued to crack down on protesters.
The day after US President Joe Biden announced that he would take punitive measures against them, the US Treasury Department announced the imposition of sanctions against 10 current and former Myanmar military leaders responsible for the February 1 coup, including freezing any assets or dealings they had in the United States.
The sanctions target the six military officers who led the military coup in Myanmar, in addition to 4 members of the newly established State Administration Council, and 3 commercial entities owned or controlled by the military.
The sanctions included the new commander of the military council, Min Aung Hling, who is already subject to US sanctions against the backdrop of the bloody crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority.
It has also targeted new individuals, including military leaders who have appointed ministers in the military government, such as Defense Minister Mia Tun Wu.
"We are also prepared to take additional measures if the Burmese military does not change its approach," said US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
"If violence is renewed against peaceful protesters, the Burmese army will realize that the sanctions imposed today are only the beginning," she added.
Scope of penalties
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said - in a statement - that these sanctions specifically target those who played leadership roles in the overthrow of the government, and that they do not target the economy of Myanmar or its people, and that his country will not stand idly by in the face of the military coup that occurred in Myanmar.
The US official stressed the need for the military regime to relinquish power, restore the elected government, release all detainees, lift restrictions on communications and social media, and refrain from violence.
Military amnesty for 23 thousand prisoners
On the other hand, the military regime in Myanmar ordered the release of more than 23,000 prisoners on Friday, a week after the new arrests of allies of the ousted leader Aung San Sochi and other officials.
Collective pardons are commonplace on important local dates, and are intended to ease the pressure on overcrowded prisons in the country.
A separate statement said that another 55 foreign prisoners will also be released.
Both orders were signed by Junta Chief Min Aung Hling.
The repression continues
In the latest developments on the ground, Reuters reported that police suppressed new protests, and shot at protesters in the city of Maulamen.
The military council used intimidation language against the coup protesters, tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets, and there were reports of the use of live bullets.
On February 1, Myanmar military leaders carried out a military coup, followed by the arrest of senior leaders in the country, including President Win Myint and Chancellor Aung San Sochi, which ended a decade of civilian rule and sparked international condemnation.
European draft resolution
On the other hand, Britain and the European Union submitted a draft resolution on Myanmar to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday, a day before a special session of the Council to discuss the crisis resulting from the military coup in Myanmar.
The British mission to the United Nations in Geneva said that 22 members of the council - which includes 47 countries - had supported the draft resolution so far.
Diplomats said that China and Russia, which have close ties with the Myanmar military, pressed to soften the language of the draft.
They stated that the sponsors of the resolution hoped to adopt the text unanimously to send a strong message, but indicated the possibility of resorting to voting.
The text "strongly" condemns the coup, and calls for the release of the country's leader, Aung San Sochi and other officials, and the admission of United Nations human rights monitors.