EU sanctions 10 Myanmar junta officials

The EU on Monday announced sanctions on 10 Myanmar junta officials and two conglomerates linked to the military over the coup and bloody crackdown on protesters in their country.

The military has ramped up its attempts to crush dissent following mass demonstrations against its ousting of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, with at least 737 civilians killed and the press increasingly under attack.

International pressure has been steadily building on the junta, although it has so far appeared to ignore all condemnation.

Announcing the sanctions on officials, EU member states said the individuals "are all responsible for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar/Burma, and for repressive decisions and serious human rights violations".

The two firms hit with asset freezes and visa bans, Myanmar Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC), were "owned and controlled by the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw), and provide revenue for it", the statement added.

The companies dominate sectors including trading, alcohol, cigarettes and consumer goods.

The officials targeted are mostly members of the ruling State Administration Council seen as responsible for undermining the democracy in the Southeast Asian nation, EU diplomats said.

Japanese journalist arrested

The announcement came after Japan urged Myanmar authorities on Monday to release from prison a Japanese journalist accused of spreading fake news, one of at least 65 reporters arrested during the junta's crackdown.

Yuki Kitazumi was detained on Sunday, and a Japanese embassy spokesman confirmed that he had been transferred overnight from a police watchhouse to the Insein prison.

Insein is notorious for holding political prisoners.Japanese diplomats had sought permission to visit him in jail but that request had not yet been granted, an embassy spokesman told AFP on Monday.

"We are informed by the police he was arrested due to the suspicion of releasing fake news," he told AFP.

Myanmar authorities told the embassy the journalist was not physically harmed during the arrest and was in good health.State media later confirmed he had been charged.

"We are asking Myanmar for the person's early release," Japanese government spokesman Katsunobu Kato told reporters. "We will do our utmost to protect the Japanese national."

The press has been caught in the junta's crackdown as the military attempts to tighten control over the flow of information, throttling internet access and revoking the licences of five local media outlets.

At least 34 journalists and photographers remain in custody across Myanmar, according to monitoring group Reporting ASEAN.