Admiral Tin Aung San is the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Navy and Minister for the Office of Prime Minister. He was a member of the State Administration Council (SAC) until its dissolution on 31 July 2025. Since 5 August 2025, he has also been serving as National Security Advisor. Previously, he served as Minister of Transport and Communication and as Minister of Defence. 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. As a Government Minister of Transport and Communications, he was responsible for communication and networks and thus made decisions and implemented policies that defined the freedom of access to data online. While he occupied this role, there were numerous shutdowns and deliberate slowdowns of the internet, as well as orders for providers to prevent Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from being online. In January 2022, a new draft of the cyber security bill was circulated, which allows for the abuse of surveillance technology in order to monitor and target individuals, and thus to suppress their freedom of expression as well as access to information. He is therefore directly responsible for limiting press freedom and access to information online, as well as for violating the right to privacy of the Myanmar people. In so doing, he has undermined democracy and rule of law in Myanmar/Burma. In his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Advisor as well as former Minister of Defence and member of the SAC, Tin Aung San 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. He is also directly responsible for the repressive decisions taken by the SAC, including legislation that violates human rights and limits the freedoms of the citizens of Myanmar/Burma, and for the serious human rights violations committed by the Myanmar security forces.
Sender
CH
Additional info
article 1 (Financial sanctions) and art. 3 (Travelban)
Date of listing
2021-07-01
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.
