Myanmar Junta Arrests Ex-UK Envoy For Living In New Home; London Rages

Authorities in Myanmar have detained Britain's former ambassador to the Southeast Asian nation, where a military junta seized power last year, three people with knowledge of the situation said, Nikkei Asia reported.

Photo Insert: Vicky Bowman currently runs the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business (MCRB).

Vicky Bowman, who currently runs the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business (MCRB), and her husband, Htein Lin, a Burmese artist, and former political prisoner, were detained on Wednesday, the sources said, asking not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

A statement from the junta later on Thursday said the couple were being investigated under the Immigration Act for staying at a different address than Bowman's official registration specified, after moving to a different town.

"It is found that Vicky Bowman violated the immigration act 13/1," said the statement circulated to journalists. The law carries a sentence of six months to five years of prison time.

Bowman is the latest foreigner to be detained in Myanmar. Sean Turnell, an Australian economist and longtime advisor to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and Japanese freelance filmmaker Toru Kubota also remain in detention. Their governments have called for them to be released.

"Htein Lin knew that his wife moved to Kalaw and stayed there, he facilitated the violations without informing the authorities. Therefore, he was charged under section 13/1." The junta did not specify whether the couple was in custody, but a source said they were in detention at Insein Prison, Reuters also reported.

The arrest comes as Britain announced that it is imposing fresh sanctions to target military-linked businesses in Myanmar and joining the case against Myanmar in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and appears to be quick retaliation by the junta, which believes it is the only body in the country that can exercise political, legislative and judicial power.

Britain is the fourth country after the Maldives, Netherlands, and Canada, to vow formal support for the case brought by the Gambia against Myanmar to determine whether its military conducted genocidal operations against Rohingya Muslims in 2016 and 2017.

Three companies are being penalized with sanctions "in an effort to limit the military's access to arms and revenue," the British government said in a statement on Wednesday.

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