Biden Administration plans to sanction Myanmar leaders over coup

The Biden administration is prepared to roll out sanctions on current and former military leaders in Myanmar over their involvement in a coup earlier this month, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The sanctions, the first use of the punitive measures since President Joe Biden took office last month, will also target business entities linked to the officials, according to the person, who asked not to be identified discussing measures that had yet to be announced.

Military leaders in Myanmar seized power and arrested Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders in an early-morning raid earlier this month. The U.S. formally declared the military takeover in Myanmar a coup soon after, prompting a review of foreign assistance and the possibility of new sanctions against the country’s leaders.

Many of the officials who orchestrated the coup were also responsible for atrocities committed against Rohingya Muslims and already faced punishment from the U.S., a State Department official told reporters previously.

A State Department official didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.