FIDH and its member organisations specifically advocated for additional sanctions that directly target the large junta-owned conglomerates whose revenues fuel the violent repression by the Tatmadaw. The EU’s sanctions against the Tatmadaw and its conglomerates, MEC and MEHL come in addition to those adopted on 22 March against 11 senior Tatmadaw officials, including the Commander-in-Chief, Min Aung Hlaing, and Deputy-Commander-in-Chief, Soe Win and the 14 individuals sanctioned in 2018 for serious human rights violations against the Rohingya in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States. Restrictive measures taken by the EU against Myanmar now apply to 35 individuals and two companies. Sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze, and prohibit EU citizens and companies from making funds available to the listed individuals and entities. Previously adopted sanctions, including an arms embargo, an export ban on dual-use goods, and export restrictions on equipment for monitoring communications remain in place.
Myanmar: EU imposes sanctions on junta members and two military-controlled conglomerates
FIDH welcomes the decision by the EU, on 19 April, to sanction 10 individuals, including the new information minister, U Chit Naing, and two military-controlled conglomerates, Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC) following the military coup of 1 February and the ongoing egregious human rights violations committed by the military (Tatmadaw).