https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2022.040.01.0010.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A040%3ATOC

Maung Maung Ohn has been the Minister of Information since 1 August 2021. He was appointed by the State Administrative Council (SAC), led by Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, which took over the legislative, executive and judicial powers of the State as of 2 February 2021. He was previously Minister of Hotels and Tourism, having been appointed on 7 February 2021. As Government Minister, he forms part of the military regime which seized power during a military coup and overthrew legitimately elected leaders in Myanmar/Burma. As Minister of Information, he has control over the State-owned media (MWD, MRTV, Myanmar Alin, Kyemon and Global New Light of Myanmar newspapers and the Myanmar News Agency (MNA) and Myanmar Digital News), and thus controls the broadcast and publication of official news. He has continued and further strengthened the repressive policies following the military coup, notably by amending the Television and Radio Broadcasting Law, imposing additional restrictions on the freedom of expression and press freedom, including by restricting internet access, criminalising journalism and imprisoning journalists. Additionally, he instructed the members of the Myanmar Media Council, an independent body, to implement the government’s objectives. Therefore, his actions, policies and activities undermine democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar/Burma, and he is engaged in actions that threaten the peace, security and stability of Myanmar/Burma.

(Date of UN designation: 2022-02-21)

2022-02-21

EU

Restrictive measures in view of the situation in Myanmar/Burma

EU country specific

Myanmar

Asset freeze and prohibition to make funds available, Restrictions on admission

- All assets of the persons and entities listed in Annexes IV of Council Regulation (EU) 401/2013 should be frozen. It is also prohibited to make any funds or assets directly or indirectly available to them. The list of persons and entities concerned is included in the Financial Sanctions Database (linked). - Member States shall enforce travel restrictions on persons listed in the Annex of Council Decision 2013/184/CFSP.

In view of the absence of progress towards democratization and of the violation of human rights in Myanmar/Burma, on 28 October 1996, the EU reaffirmed the restrictive measures already in place, which included an arms embargo, and introduced additional ones, such as travel restrictions and the suspension of high-level bilateral governmental visits to Myanmar/Burma. In response to the positive developments and as a means of encouraging changes to continue, on 22 April 2013 the EU lifted all restrictive measures against Myanmar/Burma with the exception of the arms embargo and the embargo on equipment which might be used for internal repression. However, reacting to the systematic human rights abuses perpetrated by Myanmar/Burma military and security forces, in particular in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states, the EU Foreign Ministers in February 2018 called for strengthened restrictive measures. Accordingly, in the course of 2018 the Council of the EU adopted additional measures that included an extension of the embargo on arms and equipment which might be used for internal repression, as well as targeted restrictive measures against senior military officers of the Myanmar armed forces. Derogations to the restrictive measures are possible, including the delivery of humanitarian aid. On 21 April 2022, the Council of the EU decided to renew the restrictive measures until 30 April 2023.