Soe Win has been the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) since 2011. He is Vice-Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC), having previously held the same function in the State Administration Council (SAC) until it was replaced by the SSPC on 31 July 2025. He is also a member of the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC). On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw), led by Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, staged a coup in Myanmar/Burma by setting aside the results of the elections held on 8 November 2020 and by overthrowing the democratically elected government. As part of the coup, Vice-President Myint Swe, functioning as Acting President, declared a state of emergency on 1 February 2021 and transferred the legislative, executive and judicial powers of the State to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. On 2 February 2021, the SAC was established to exercise those powers, preventing the democratically elected government from fulfilling its mandate. Soe Win participated in the meeting of the NDSC on 31 January 2022, which extended the state of emergency through consecutive extensions until 31 July 2025. As Vice-Chairman of the SAC/SSPC, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Soe Win has been directly involved in and responsible for decision-making concerning state functions and is therefore responsible for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar/Burma. Additionally, the SAC/SSPC adopted decisions restricting the rights to freedom of expression, including access to information, and peaceful assembly. The military forces and authorities operating under the control of the SAC/SSPC have committed serious human rights violations since 1 February 2021, killing civilian and unarmed protestors, restricting freedom of assembly and of expression, including by restricting internet access, and through arbitrary arrests and detention of opposition leaders and opponents of the coup. As Vice-Chairman of the SAC/SSPC, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Soe Win is directly responsible for those repressive decisions and for serious human rights violations. In 2018, the United Nations as well as international civil society organisations reported gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan States against the Rohingya population by the military and police forces since 2011 and concluded that many of those violations amount to the gravest crimes under international law. As Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw since 2011, Soe Win is responsible for those serious violations and abuses against the Rohingya population.
Sender
CH
Additional info
article 1 (Financial sanctions) and art. 3 (Travelban)
Date of listing
2021-03-31
Program information
Authority
CH
Program
Ordinance of 17 October 2018 on measures against Myanmar (SR 946.231.157.5)
Regime
Switzerland country specific
Target State
Myanmar
Measures
Asset freeze, Travel ban
Official Information
Switzerland imposes these sanctions under the Ordinance of 17 October 2018 on measures against Myanmar (SR 946.231.157.5). The measures follow the sanctions adopted by the European Union.
