The Burma (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/136) (the Regulations) were made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and provide for the freezing of funds and economic resources of certain persons, entities, or bodies who have been identified as being responsible for serious human rights violations in Myanmar.

Following the military coup on 1 February 2021 and subsequent human rights violations, the following three Myanmar military officers have been added on 18 February 2021 to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation's (OFSI) consolidated list of asset freeze targets and are now subject to an asset freeze:

• Minister for Home Affairs, Soe Htut (Group ID: 14056).
• Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Than Hlaing (Group ID: 14057).
• Minister of Defence, Mya Tun Oo (Group ID: 14058).

This brings the total number of Myanmar military officials on OFSI's consolidated list to 19. The Foreign Office and Department for International Trade have also launched an enhanced due diligence process to mitigate the risk of military businesses operating in the United Kingdom and associated illicit money flows.

On the same day, Canada added nine Myanmar military officials to its sanctions list, including the three individuals identified above. Earlier this month, on 11 February 2021, the United States listed 10 current and former Myanmar military officials that "played a leading role in the overthrow of Burma's democratically elected government" in the coup, as well as three entities operating in the gems industry owned by a large Myanmar conglomerate owned or controlled by Myanmar's military or security forces.