The UK has imposed further sanctions in response to the military coup and human rights violations in Myanmar

Military-owned conglomerate Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL) has been targeted for its involvement in serious abuses against the Rohingya minority group and its association with senior military figures.

The listing under the global human rights sanctions regime will also prohibit funds being made available to any subsidiaries owned or controlled by MEHL.

The action was taken in partnership with the United States, which is imposing sanctions on MEHL along with Myanmar Economic Corporation Ltd.

The Foreign Office said the designation is in response to evidence that MEHL contributed funds to support the country’s armed forces in their campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya in 2017, having reasonable cause to suspect that the money would or may contribute to the serious human rights violations committed.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “Today’s sanctions target the military’s financial interests to help drain the sources of finance for their campaigns of repression against civilians.”

He said the UK and its allies “will not hesitate to take action against a regime that has caused so much pain to so many innocent civilians”.

The move follows asset freezes and travel bans imposed on nine members of the military junta last month.

Protesters against the military coup were once again on the streets of cities including Mandalay and Yangon on Thursday.

There were reports of violent clashes in Hpa-an, the capital of the south-eastern Karen state, as well as the eastern Shan state’s capital of Taunggyi and Mon state’s capital of Mawlamyine.