Britain and Canada have imposed sanctions on Myanmar military generals for uprooting Aung San Suu Kyi's government and establishing military rule. Opponents of the coup have welcomed these new sanctions, Reuters reported. Adding diplomatic pressure on military leaders of the Southeast Asian country, Japan, India, the US and Australia said that democracy needed to be restored quickly.
Suu Kyi is currently under trial for illegal possession of six walkie talkies. Around 495 protestors and activists have been arrested so far on charges of civil disobedience. Of these, three of them have already been convicted and sentenced to two years in prison, while 460 remain in detention. The rest have been sentenced to three months in prison.
Britain has imposed travel bans on three generals and is taking steps to prevent any aid from helping the military and stop British businesses from working with the army.
Canada announced that it would impose sanctions on nine military officials.
Youth leader and activist Thinzar Shunlei Yi showing approval of sanction announcements by Britain wrote on Twitter, "We urge other nations to have such coordinated and united response. We will be waiting for EU sanctions announcement on 22nd."
Shunlei Yi called on people to gather at the EU office and push for sanctions and measures against businesses, military personnel benefit from.
In the meantime, the young woman shot by police last week during a protest against the coup has died, her brother told PTI. Mya Thwet Thwet Khine, who was shot in the head during a protest in Naypyitaw on February 9, had been on life support. Thwet Khine was 19.
Friday marked week two of continuous demonstrations against the coup. Protesters took to the streets waving signs and flags. They drove around in the city of Myitkyina. Even though Yangon police set up barricades around the city's main protest site the Sule Pagoda, people gathered at the barricades anyway. Protestors also gathered near the university at Yangon.
The police clashed with protestors at Myitkyina. The police used rubber bullets and catapults to disperse the protestors.
The military has also been urging civil servants and healthcare workers, who in a manner of showing solidarity to the protesters have stopped going to work, to return to work and have threatened action against those who fail to do so.
