US lifts sanctions on daughter of military-linked Myanmar businessman

What the report says

The United States has removed sanctions on Theint Win Htet, the daughter of a Myanmar businessman accused of supporting the country’s military-backed authorities, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The delisting was posted by the US Treasury Department on Friday, after she had sued the government over the restrictions. The report says the move came days after Reuters reported that the Trump administration had reopened contacts with Myanmar’s government.

Al Jazeera reported that Theint Win Htet had been sanctioned because of her family link to the Shwe Byain Phyu Group of Companies, founded by her father, Thein Win Zaw. The Treasury had previously said the company supplied fuel to the military and held stakes in firms tied to the armed forces. Theint Win Htet argued in court that she had no involvement in her father’s business, and her lawyer later moved to withdraw the case after the sanctions were lifted.

The article says the sanctions had affected her finances and study plans, including limits on bank access and US credit cards, and it noted that she had been living in Thailand with her mother, who was also earlier removed from the sanctions list. The decision drew criticism from the advocacy group Justice For Myanmar, which said the military continues to attack civilians. More broadly, the report places the move in the context of US policy changes after the 2021 coup in Myanmar, when Washington sanctioned military figures and related companies.