From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon Lord Cameron

Published: 1 February 2024

• UK imposes fresh sanctions against military divisions and enterprises involved in the repression of the civilian population and serious human rights violations in Myanmar
• in the 3 years since the military coup, the UK has sanctioned 25 individuals and 33 entities under the Myanmar sanctions regime
• the UK and partners have published a joint statement condemning the military’s ongoing violence against civilians

3 years on from the military coup in Myanmar, the UK has imposed further sanctions against those responsible for ongoing repression in the country. Sanctioned today are 2 Myanmar military divisions responsible for carrying out serious human rights violations and 2 state-owned enterprises which provide economic resources and support to the Myanmar security forces.

Sanctions against 2 state-owned enterprises affiliated with the Myanmar security forces will help block the regime’s access to vital resources used to strengthen the military’s grip. Also sanctioned today are 2 Light Infantry Divisions of the Myanmar security forces, which since the coup have escalated their appalling attacks against civilians, including targeting voices of dissent and opposition.

Since the coup the UK has sanctioned 25 individuals and 33 entities under the Myanmar Sanctions Regime, targeting the military’s access to finance, arms and equipment. The UK has also targeted the military’s 2 key conglomerates and their 111 subsidiaries, as well as 3 individuals under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, most recently in December 2023.

In addition to fresh sanctions, the United Kingdom has, alongside 8 countries and the EU, released a joint statement, reiterating our condemnation of the military regime’s continued violence against and repression of its own people.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

Three years after its coup, we are increasing our pressure on the Myanmar military to stop its brutal repression of the Myanmar people.

That’s why the UK is imposing new sanctions to help stop the military’s access to resources. We are joining with international partners to call for renewed efforts to secure a peaceful and democratic future for Myanmar.

The entities sanctioned today

1. Mining Enterprise 1 (ME1) for involvement in the repression of the civilian population in Myanmar, by being affiliated to the Myanmar Security Forces (MSF) and making available funds or other economic resources to the MSF.
2. Mining Enterprise 2 (ME2) for involvement in the repression of the civilian population in Myanmar, by being affiliated to the Myanmar Security Forces and by making available funds or other economic resources to the MSF.
3. Light Infantry Division 77 (LID 77) for involvement in serious human rights violations in Myanmar. Namely the crackdown on protestors involving excessive lethal force and killing, and internet shutdowns during protests in Bago.
4. Light Infantry Division 101 (LID 101) for involvement in serious human rights violations in Myanmar. This includes arbitrary arrests, detention or enforced disappearance; torture or cruel treatment against people for their political opinion, religious belief or ethnicity; and forms of sexual and gender-based violence.

Background

Asset freeze

An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.

Travel ban

A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.