US imposes new Myanmar sanctions on two state-owned businesses

The United States on Wednesday imposed new Myanmar-related sanctions, targeting two state-owned businesses in Washington’s latest in a series of punitive actions following the February 1 military coup in the Southeast Asian country.

Washington blacklisted Myanma Timber Enterprise and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise, according to the Treasury Department’s website.

The United States has imposed several rounds of sanctions targeting Myanmar’s military over the coup and the killing of protesters since then.

Myanmar has been in crisis since the military seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, with almost daily protests despite a crackdown by the junta in which hundreds of people have been killed.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), an activist group, says 738 people have been killed by Myanmar’s security forces since the coup and 3,300 people are in detention. Another 20 people have been sentenced to death and are in hiding.