Min Aung Hlaing | |
|---|---|
မင်းအောင်လှိုင် | |
(b).jpg) Min Aung Hlaing in 2025 | |
| Chairman of theState Security and Peace Commission | |
| Assumed office 31 July 2025 | |
| Deputy | Soe Win |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Actingpresident of Myanmar[a] | |
| Assumed office 22 July 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Himself Nyo Saw |
| Preceded by | Myint Swe (acting) |
| 12th Prime Minister of Myanmar | |
| In office 1 August 2021 – 31 July 2025 | |
| President | Myint Swe (acting) |
| Deputy | |
| Preceded by | Office re-established;Thein Sein (2011) |
| Succeeded by | Nyo Saw |
| Chairman of the State Administration Council | |
| In office 2 February 2021 – 31 July 2025 | |
| Deputy | Soe Win |
| Preceded by | Aung San Suu Kyi (asState Counsellor) |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services | |
| Assumed office 30 March 2011 | |
| President | See list
|
| Deputy | Soe Win |
| Preceded by | Than Shwe |
| Joint Chief of Staff of theArmed Forces | |
| In office June 2010 – 30 March 2011 | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Than Shwe |
| Preceded by | Shwe Mann |
| Succeeded by | Hla Htay Win |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1956-07-03)3 July 1956 (age 69) |
| Spouse | Kyu Kyu Hla |
| Children | Multiple, including: Aung Pyae Sone Khin Thiri Thet Mon |
| Education | Rangoon Arts and Sciences University (LLB) Defence Services Academy |
| Website | www |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Tatmadaw |
| Branch/service |  Myanmar Army |
| Years of service | 1974–present |
| Rank |  Senior General |
| Battles/wars | Internal conflict in Myanmar |
Min Aung Hlaing[b] (born 3 July 1956) is a Burmese army general who has ruledMyanmar under various titles since seizing power in 2021, and has led theTatmadaw (armed forces) asCommander-in-Chief of Defence Services since 2011. He first served asChairman of theState Administration Council and as well as the 12thprime minister from 2021 to 2025, and then as the member of the NDSC exercisingpresidential duties since 2024 and as Chairman of theState Security and Peace Commission since 2025.
Born inMinbu, Min Aung Hlaing studied law at theRangoon Arts and Science University before joining the military. Rising through its ranks, he became asenior general by 2013.[4] During the period of civilian rule from 2011 to 2021, he work to ensure the military's continued role inpolitics and forestalled thepeace process withethnic armed groups. A United Nations fact-finding mission found he deliberately perpetrated theRohingya genocide. He maintained an adversarial relationship with democratically-electedState CounsellorAung San Suu Kyi, though she defended him against genocide charges.[5]
Min Aung Hlaing baselessly claimed widespread voting irregularities and electoral fraud in the2020 Myanmar general election, in which Aung San Suu Kyi'sNational League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide re-election. He then seized power from her in the 2021 coup.[6][7][8] He had been expected to run forPresident of Myanmar had the military proxy party, theUnion Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), won enough seats in parliament to elect him, and would have been required to retire as Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services due to a statutory age limit.[9] With the outbreak ofmass protests against his rule, Min Aung Hlaing ordered a clampdown and suppression of demonstrations,[10] sparking anongoing civil war.[11]
Min Aung Hlaing's forces have employedscorched earth tactics in thecivil war, includingairstrikes on civilians.[12][13] He has ordered the execution of prominent pro-democracy activists, the first use of the death penalty in decades.[14][15] In February 2024, he activated Myanmar'sPeople's Military Service Conscription Law to draft 60,000 young people into theTatmadaw.[16] In foreign policy, he has resisted influence fromAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and relied on greater cooperation withRussia,China, andIndia.[17][18] In response to his human rights abuses and corruption, Min Aung Hlaing and his government have been subjected to an extensive series of international sanctions, returning Myanmar to its former status as apariah state. The Economist Intelligence Unit's 2022Democracy Index rated Myanmar under Min Aung Hlaing as the second-most authoritarian regime in the world, with onlyAfghanistan rated less democratic.[19]
Min Aung Hlaing was born on 3 July 1956 inMinbu,Magway Region,Burma (nowMyanmar), to Khin Hlaing and Hla Mu, as the fourth of five children.[20] His parents were teachers fromDawei, inTanintharyi Region.[21] His family moved toMandalay as duty when he was 5 years old. His father, Khin Hlaing, was anartist.[22]
Min Aung Hlaing passed hismatriculation exam in 1972 atBasic Education High School No. 1 Latha (BEHS 1 Latha) of Rangoon (nowYangon).[23][24] He attended and studiedlaw at theRangoon Arts and Science University from 1973 to 1974. On his third attempt, he was admitted to theDefence Services Academy in 1974 as part of the 19th Intake, and he graduated in 1977.[25][26] According to classmates, Min Aung Hlaing was taciturn, and an unremarkable cadet.[27] He was reportedly shunned by classmates because of his reserved personality.[23]
Following graduation from theDefence Services Academy (DSA) in 1977 with the 19th intake, Min Aung Hlaing went on to serve in different command positions, rising slowly through the ranks.[27] He was assigned to the No. (313)Light Infantry Battalion (Hmawbi), then known as the No. (1) Shan Rifle Battalion, under the command of the No. (77) Light Infantry Division. Formerpresident of MyanmarThein Sein was also assigned to this battalion, and formerDirector of Defence Service Intelligence GeneralKhin Nyunt served as a company commander in the same unit.[28]
Early in his career, military colleagues gave him a nickname referring to cat feces, "something deposited quietly but leaving a powerful stink."[29]
In 1979, during an offensive known as Operation Min Yan Aung (Victorious King) against theCommunist Party of Burma (CPB) in what is nowMatman Township inWa State, east of theThanlwin River, Min Aung Hlaing served as anIntelligence Officer (IO) ranked as aLieutenant (2 stars) at 23 years old.
In 1989, as aCaptain (3 stars), Min Aung Hlaing took part in the Battle of Wan Kha Thit, better known as theBattle of Kawmoora. This battle was a clash between army troops controlled by thenCommander-in-chiefSenior GeneralThan Shwe and theKaren National Union (KNU). Due to the base's difficult position to attack, the Myanmar military repeatedly assaulted it throughout 1989 but failed to seize it, halting operations in 1990 after suffering hundreds of casualties.
To ward off harm from enemy shells and bullets, Min Aung Hlaing carried a Buddha statue in his bag of topographic maps worn across his chest. Despite making speeches for officer cadets to be brave soldiers like him, he never led any missions againstKNU troops.[30]
Min Aung Hlaing served as a Battalion Officer Commanding, ranked as aMajor, at the No. (369) Light Infantry Battalion (Homalin) under the Regional Operations Command (Kalay) of the Northwestern Regional Military Command. During his service, he imprisoned the pregnant wife of a sergeant who was deemed to have deserted the battalion. At that time, the General Officer Commanding of the Regional Operations Command (Kalay) wasBrigadier General ThuraAung Ko, and theTactical Operation Command Officer Commanding wasColonel Kyaw Thu. During an inspection, Colonel Kyaw Thu discovered the woman locked in the battalion prison and questionedMajor Min Aung Hlaing why he did such a thing. Min Aung Hlaing explained that she was imprisoned because her husband had deserted. Colonel Kyaw Thu responded, "Do not do such a disgraceful thing. It's nonsense to arrest the wife just because her husband deserted. Release her now."[31] The woman was only released thanks to Colonel Kyaw Thu's intervention.
Min Aung Hlaing served as the 19th rector of theDefence Services Academy (DSA), having graduated from its 19th intake. During his tenure, he was involved in an incident withNay Shwe Thway Aung (also known as Phoe La Pyae), the 8-year-old grandson ofSenior GeneralThan Shwe. Nay Shwe Thway Aung visited the academy with a colonel acting as his personal bodyguard. At Nay Shwe Thway Aung's request, Min Aung Hlaing organized a football match, dismissing the Officer Cadets from their Physical Training (PT) session. Throughout the match, Min Aung Hlaing frequently inquired about Nay Shwe Thway Aung's well-being, contrasting with his usually strict demeanor towards the officers on the field.[32]
Min Aung Hlaing was also known for his strict enforcement of military regulations. He reported several coaches and cadets to the Military Appointment General (MAG) for minor infractions, such as not wearing helmets while riding motorcycles. These actions were perceived as efforts to secure his promotion toMajor General and to obtain a position as a General Officer Commanding as a Regional Military Command. As a result of his reports, the officers and cadets faced significant career setbacks, with many unable to advance beyond the rank ofCaptain.[32]
As he rose through the ranks, Min Aung Hlaing earned a reputation as a hardliner.[23] His military work earned him the favour of Senior GeneralThan Shwe.[33] Min Aung Hlaing is characterized as having a "big man" management style not conducive to collaboration or listening.[33]
In 2002, he was promoted to commander of theTriangle Regional Military Command in easternShan State and was a central figure in negotiations with two rebel groups, theUnited Wa State Army (UWSA) and theNational Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA).[23] Min Aung Hlaing was reportedly close with former Thai prime minister and a GeneralPrem Tinsulanonda, considering Prem a father figure.[34][35]
Min Aung Hlaing supported the military crackdown of theSaffron Revolution in 2008.[23] He rose to prominence in 2009 after leading an offensive against the insurgentMyanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) inKokang.[36] In June 2010, Min Aung Hlaing replaced GeneralShwe Mann as Joint Chief of Staff of theArmy,Navy, andAir Force.[23]
Min Aung Hlaing has been the subject of controversy for his family's extensive business assets and potential conflicts of interest.[37] He is a major shareholder in the army-ownedMyanma Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL). During the 2010–11 fiscal year, he had owned 5,000 shares and received an annual dividend of $250,000 (~$349,994 in 2024).[38] He sits on MEHL's Patron Group, which runs the conglomerate.[39]
Min Aung Hlaing's son,Aung Pyae Sone, owns a number of companies, including Sky One Construction Company and Aung Myint Mo Min Insurance Company.[40] He also has a majority stake inMytel, a national telecoms carrier.[40] In 2013, his son Aung Pyae Sone won a no-bid government permit well below market rates, for a 30-year lease on land at the YangonPeople's Square and Park for a high-end restaurant and art gallery, following his father's promotion toCommander-in-Chief.[41]Aung Pyae Sone also runsA&M Mahar, which offersFood and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals and customs clearance services for drugs and medical devices.[42] Myanmar's customs department is led by Kyaw Htin, a former MEHL director.[42]
His daughterKhin Thiri Thet Mon founded a major film studio,7th Sense Creation, in 2017.[43] That same year, his daughter-in-law, Myo Yadanar Htaik, founded another entertainment company, Stellar Seven Entertainment.[43] TheUS Embassy in Yangon came under media scrutiny in December 2020, for collaborating with 7th Sense Creation, because Min Aung Hlaing is technically subject toUS economic sanctions.[44]
In the lead-up to 2011, the military began embarking on aseries of political reforms to transition Myanmar to a quasi-democracy. The ruling junta, theState Peace and Development Council (SPDP), engineered its formal departure from power, after holding the2010 Myanmar general election, which was won by theUnion Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), the military's proxy party. On 30 March 2011, outgoing head of state, Senior GeneralThan Shwe, then the incumbentCommander-in-Chief of Myanmar's Armed Forces, appointed Min Aung Hlaing as his successor, ahead of more senior officers.[45][46] Min Aung Hlaing's appointment coincided with the USDP's rise to power, during which he oversaw a series of military reforms, and supported efforts by the USDP-led government to strikepeace deals withethnic armed organisations.[45]
Not long after becomingCommander-in-chief, he removed the Adjutant General,Lieutenant General Kyaw Phyo and General Officer Commanding of Central Regional Military CommandMajor General Tin Ngwe and built the atmosphere of fear among the top brass.[32]
In November 2011, according toThe Irrawaddy, it was "widely believed" that following Min Aung Hlaing's meetings withChinese military officials that month and his leadership in creating a bilateral agreement on defense cooperation with the Chinese, he had also held talks with Chinese vice-presidentXi Jinping regarding cooperation fromChina with respect to theKachin Conflict.[36]
On 27 March 2012, during a speech inNaypyidaw, Min Aung Hlaing defended the military's continued role innational politics.[36][47] On 3 April 2012, theGovernment of Myanmar announced that Min Aung Hlaing had been promoted tovice-senior general (four-star general), thesecond highest rank in theMyanmar Armed Forces.[36] He was promoted to the rank ofsenior general (five-star general), the highest rank in the Myanmar's Armed Forces in March 2013.[4]
In 2014, as Min Aung Hlaing approached the age of 60, which is the mandatory age of retirement for military officers, the Armed Forces' Department of Defence Council issued a directive, enabling Min Aung Hlaing to extend hismandatory retirement age to 65, in 2021.[48]
In August 2015, the USDP fractured, and PresidentThein Sein purged the faction led byShwe Mann, a former general and Speaker of thePyithu Hluttaw.[45] Min Aung Hlaing oversaw a direct military intervention to oust Shwe Mann from power, indicating the military's desire to continue furthering its agenda through USDP.[49] Shwe Mann had advocated for legislation and constitutional amendments that would have decreased the military's influence, against the interests of the military and USDP.[49]
The2015 Myanmar general election saw theNational League for Democracy (NLD), led byAung San Suu Kyi, win in a landslide. With the transition from an USDP to NLD-led government, Min Aung Hlaing shifted his priorities to recovering state power for the military establishment.[45] His intransigence and refusal to cooperate with the civilian-led government undermined progress towardMyanmar's peace process.[45] As the NLD assumed power, Min Aung Hlaing began intensifying an ongoingmilitary crackdown on theRohingya, beginning in October 2016.[50][51] At theUnion Peace Conference - 21st Century Panglong in August 2020, he warned the NLD againstscapegoating the military for its role in theongoing ethnic conflicts.[52]
.jpg)
Min Aung Hlaing also began to signal his interest in civilian politics.[45] He began assuming a more statesman-like persona, and became increasingly assertive about the military's role.[52][29] In the lead-up to the2020 Myanmar general election, he worked with theUSDP to position himself as the nextPresident.[52] Throughout 2019, Min Aung Hlaing made several public appearances dubbed a "charm offensive," at several religious sites and charity functions,[53] raising speculation about his political ambitions.[54][48] To cultivate his public persona, he began twoFacebook pages that commanded a combined following of 4.1 million followers.[55][56] In January 2020, Min Aung Hlaing met withChinese leaderXi Jinping inNay Pyi Taw. Xi promoted the practical cooperation under the framework of theOne Belt One Road to achieve results at an early date and benefitMyanmar's people.[57] In May 2020, Min Aung Hlaing reshuffled senior military ranks, promoting a new generation of officers loyal to him, includingKyaw Swar Lin, who became the military's youngestlieutenant general.[58]
.jpg)
War with theArakan Army intensified during this period, and the military was accused of targetingArakanese civilians and their properties. On 17 March 2019,Kyaw Zaw Oo, an Arakanese MP, published a bilingual open letter to Min Aung Hlaing about the many human rights violations of theTatmadaw inRakhine State that harmed the lives and property of civilians and damaged buildings of cultural heritage.[59][60]
In February 2020, Min Aung Hlaing, his wifeKyu Kyu Hla and with his close astrologerVasipake Sayadaw placed the "Hti" umbrella atopBagan's most powerful ancientHtilominlo Temple. The meaning of the temple name is "need the royal umbrella, need the King". He was following in the footsteps of some of Myanmar's most powerful political figures including his predecessor, Senior GeneralThan Shwe. Many people believed that the ceremony was ayadaya and seeking divine blessings for his glory.[61]
In November 2020, Min Aung Hlaing made a series of public comments questioning the legitimacy of the upcoming2020 election, in potential violation of the Civil Services Personnel Law.[62] On 5 November, the Tatmadaw declared that Min Aung Hlaing's rank is equivalent toVice President of Myanmar.[63] After casting his ballot in the2020 election, Min Aung Hlaing vowed to accept the election results.[64] The 2020 election saw NLD win in a larger landslide than in 2015, forestalling Min Aung Hlaing's political ambitions. In response, the military began intensifying allegations ofelectoral fraud and irregularities, submitting formal complaints to theUnion Election Commission (UEC).[65]
 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2025) |
_(1).jpg)
On 27 January 2021, Min Aung Hlaing publicly remarked that he would not rule out acoup d'état and abolition of theconstitution, if allegations ofvoter fraud during last year's election were not adequately addressed. These comments sparked concern about another potential coup.[66] The following day, the UEC issued a statement rejecting claims ofelectoral fraud, citing the lack of evidence submitted to substantiate these claims.[67] On 29 January, the military issued clarifying statements pledging to protect and abide by the constitution and applicable laws.[68]
On 1 February 2021, Min Aung Hlaingdetained elected leaders including PresidentWin Myint, State CounsellorAung San Suu Kyi and declared himself asCommander-in-chief of Myanmar, one day before democratically elected members of parliament were scheduled to be sworn in as members of thePyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union). The following day, he established theState Administration Council (SAC) as the country's interim ruling body.[69][70]
On 22 May 2021, Min Aung Hlaing gave his first interview since the coup to Hong Kong-based Chinese languagePhoenix Television. During the interview, he referred to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and he said that she "is in good health. She is at her home and healthy. She is going to face trial at the court in a few days."[71] On the same day,Myanmar Now reported that shortly after the coup, Min Aung Hlaing appointed himself indefinitely as the commander-in-chief and therefore thede facto leader ofMyanmar.[72]
Six months after the coup, on 1 August 2021, Min Aung Hlaing formed acaretaker government and established himself as the country'sprime minister.[73][74][75] He also remains the chairman of the SAC.[76][77][78]
After fourpro-democracyactivists were executed on 24 July 2022, the chairman of theASEAN,Hun Sen, UN representatives, andWestern leaders condemned the executions.[79][80] On 7 September 2022, Min Aung Hlaing met withRussian presidentVladimir Putin on the sidelines of theEastern Economic Forum (EEF), inVladivostok,Russia, the first time that the pair have met since the2021 coup.[81]
In January 2023, Min Aung Hlaing enacted a newelectoral law aimed at rigging thenext general election in favor of theUSDP.[82][83] He is himself considered a likely USDP nominee for President in the subsequent presidential election.[84]
Min Aung Hlaing refused to give up hisemergency powers when they were constitutionally set to expire on 1 February 2023, further delaying new elections.[85][86]
In March 2023, Min Aung Hlaing made a rare public appearance at theArmed Forces Day parade stating that his government would continue to fight back againstresistance groups in the country and their "acts of terror". Hlaing called his critics supporters ofterrorism.[87]
Starting in January 2024, multiple pro-military figures condemned Min Aung Hlaing for incompetence and excessive self-interest after theTatmadaw suffered an unprecedented string of defeats duringOperation 1027.[88] In February 2024, to address theTatmadaw's personnel issues, Min Aung Hlaing activated Myanmar's 1959People's Military Service Law for the first time, with plans to draft 60,000 young men and women.[16][89] Men aged 18–35 and women aged 18–27 will be required to serve up to five years under thestate of emergency, or face five years imprisonment.[90]
In March 2024, Min Aung Hlaing claimed at the Armed Forces Day parade young people are being tricked into supporting the resistance against the military, and accused "some powerful nations" of trying to interfere with Myanmar’s internal affairs.[91]
On 13 April 2023, Min Aung Hlaing was featured onTime magazine's list of the "100 Most Influential People of 2023".[92]
While attending theDefence Services Academy duringThingyan, the traditional New Year Water Festival on the evening of 14 April 2024, Min Aung Hlaing escaped a rocket attack by theMandalay People's Defence Force (MDY-PDF).[93]
According to SAC media, resistance groups in Yangon attempted to assassinate Min Aung Hlaing with explosives and firearms in June 2024.[94][95]
On 22 July 2024 Min Aung Hlaing became acting President afterMyint Swe took medical leave.[96]
Min Aung Hlaing ordered the arrest ofNay Soe Maung, the son-in-law of Senior GeneralThan Shwe, on 23 October 2024 in Pyigyitagun Township,Mandalay.[97][98] This arrest occurred during the ongoing challenges to his rule following the coup.[99][100][101] The groundwork for such actions against opposition figures was laid by Than Shwe, whose enduring influence over the military had previously established its stronghold in Myanmar's political landscape.[102][103]
.jpg)
In January 2025,ASEAN upheld its decision to ban Min Aung Hlaing from attending its summits and limit Myanmar's participation to a non-political level.[104]
On 31 January 2025, Myanmar's ruling military extended the state of emergency for another six months, with the decision approved unanimously by theNational Defense and Security Council (NDSC) under Section 425 of the 2008 Constitution. Min Aung Hlaing, as chairman of the council, stated that maintaining stability remained necessary before elections could be held.[105][106]
The state of emergency, first declared following the February 2021 military takeover, has been extended multiple times. Under Myanmar's constitutional framework, elections cannot be conducted while a state of emergency is in place. The military has previously announced plans to hold elections in 2025, though the latest extension means they cannot take place until at least the second half of the year.[107][108]
Min Aung Hlaing made an official visit toMoscow on 3 March 2025 atPutin's invitation, holding talks at theGrand Kremlin Palace the following day.[109] During this visit, they oversaw the signing of ten memorandums of understanding covering sectors such as nuclear energy, space exploration, trade, education, and investment.[110] An agreement was also reached to build a small-scale nuclear power plant in Myanmar, starting with a capacity of 110 megawatts and potential expansion. Additionally, a memorandum on space exploration and satellite technology led to reports of a satellite imagery analysis center being established in Myanmar with Russian support.[111] Min Aung Hlaing expressed gratitude for Russia's support in international forums and reiterated Myanmar's backing for Russia's actions in Ukraine. Putin also invited him to attend theVictory Day celebrations inMoscow on 9 May 2025.[112][113][114]
During a meeting with Russian presidentVladimir Putin at theKremlin on March 4, 2025, Min Aung Hlaing claimed thatthe Buddha had prophesied Putin's rise to power. According to Min Aung Hlaing, the prophecy foretold that a figure, referred to as the "rat king," would emerge as the emperor of the Russian people after the year 2000 of theBuddhist calendar and become a key ally to the kings ofBurma. He recounted the story behind the prophecy:[115][116]
"During the time of our Lord Buddha, when a rat king named Thawma dug up tubers and offered them to the Buddha, the Buddha smiled. When asked why he smiled, the Lord Buddha replied that the rat king Thawma would be reborn as the emperor of the Russian people, one of the 12 Western peoples, during the reign of King Pāpa after the year 2000 of the Buddhist era. He would be unrivaled in the art of weaponry, a unique weapons master emperor, and would become a close and friendly ally of the Burmese kings."
— Min Aung Hlaing
Min Aung Hlaing then connected the prophecy to contemporary geopolitics, stating that the current strategic alliance betweenRussia andMyanmar, and that Russia has achieved a world-leading position in weapons and technology. Therefore, the Buddha's prophecy had come true "in a remarkably coincidental and wonderful way". He also presented President Putin with a copy of the bookU Aung Zeya's Biography, written in 1838 by the Pali scholar U Saw, which contains references to the Rat King.[117][118]
On 27 March 2025, during the 80th anniversary ofMyanmar Armed Forces Day, Min Aung Hlaing said that a general election would be held by the end of the year, pledging that the military would hand over power to the winning party in a structured and lawful manner.[119][120]
Following the2025 Myanmar earthquake on 28 March, Min Aung Hlaing made made a rare invitation for other countries and international organizations to provide relief to Myanmar.[121] On 3 April, he visited Thailand to attend theBIMSTEC summit inBangkok.[122]
TheUnited Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) reported that Min Aung Hlaing's soldiers have been deliberately targeting civilians in northern states of Myanmar and have been committing systemic discrimination and human rights violations againstminority communities inRakhine State.[123] In particular, he has been accused ofethnic cleansing against theRohingya people.[124] These human rights violations could amount togenocide,crimes against humanity, andwar crimes.[125]
In 2018, the United NationsIndependent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, led byMarzuki Darusman, determined that Min Aung Hlaing and otherMyanmar's military generals oversaw atrocities against theRohingya inRakhine,Kachin andShan states, and did so withgenocidal intent.[126] The UN investigative panel said that Min Aung Hlaing, along with four other commanders (Soe Win, Aung Kyaw Zaw,Maung Maung Soe, and Than Oo) should be tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity (including genocide) in theInternational Criminal Court (ICC) or anad hoc international tribunal.[126]
Facebook banned Min Aung Hlaing from its platform along with 19 other top Burmese officials and organisations to prevent further heated ethnic and religious tensions in Myanmar. This action followed a UN investigation's report that certain military leaders in Myanmar should be investigated and prosecuted for genocide againstRohingya Muslims.[127][128]Twitter later banned him on 16 May 2019.[129]
The United States hasimposed sanctions against Min Aung Hlaing. In July 2019, theU.S. government banned him from travel to the US.[130] In December 2020, it froze Min Aung Hlaing's American-based assets and criminalized financial transactions between him and anyone in the US.[130][131]
In November 2024, as part of theInternational Criminal Court investigation in Bangladesh/Myanmar, theprosecutor of the ICC,Karim Ahmad Khan, requested an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing, stating that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Hlaing was responsible for crimes against humanity for his role in the genocide.[132][133][134]
On 14 February 2025, a court in Argentina, acting on a petition from the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK and citing the principle ofuniversal jurisdiction, issued arrest warrants against Min Aung Hlaing and other senior Myanmar officials on charges of "genocide and crimes against humanity" against theRohingyas.[135] In response, Myanmar military spokesperson Major GeneralZaw Min Tun rejected the ruling, calling it "baseless" and accusing Argentina’s judiciary of political interference. He defended Min Aung Hlaing, asserting that the accusations were politically motivated and lacked legitimacy.[136][137]
TheU.S. Department of the Treasury has imposedsanctions on Min Aung Hlaing since 10 December 2019, pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements theGlobal Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption. He has committed serious human rights abuses against members ofethnic minorities across Myanmar. TheUS sanctions include afreezing of assets under the US and a ban on transactions with anyUS person.[138] In 2022, he was also placed on the sanctions list of theOFAC pursuant to Executive Order 14014, in response to the 2–21 coup.[139] OFAC also sanctioned some of the companies that Hlaing and/or his associates owned or controlled, including theMEC conglomerate headed by Hlaing.[140]
TheGovernment of Canada has imposed sanctions on him since 18 February 2021, pursuant to Special Economic Measures Act and Special Economic Measures (Burma) Regulations, in response to the gravity of the human rights and humanitarian situation in Myanmar. Canadian sanctions include a freezing of assets and a ban on transactions with any Canadian person.[141][142]
HM Treasury and theForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office of theUnited Kingdom have imposed sanctions on him since 25 February 2021, for his responsibility for serious human rights violations in Myanmar. TheUK sanctions include a freezing of assets under the UK and travel ban to the UK.[143]
TheCouncil of the European Union has also imposedsanctions on him since 22 March 2021, pursuant to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/479 and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/480 which amended Council Regulation (EU) No 401/2013, for his responsibility for the 2021 coup and the subsequent military and police repression againstpeaceful demonstrators. TheEU sanctions include a freezing of assets and a ban on entry or transit to the bloc.[144][145]
Min Aung Hlaing marriedKyu Kyu Hla, a retiredlecturer, in 1980.[146][147] He has several children, including sonAung Pyae Sone and daughterKhin Thiri Thet Mon.[43]
Major General – 2008/2009[36]
Lieutenant General – Late 2009[148]
General – Early 2011[36].gif)
Vice-Senior General – Early 2012[36]
Senior General – March 2013[148]On 17 April 2022, Min Aung Hlaing gave himself Myanmar's two highest titles; theThadoe Thiri Thudhamma (The Most Glorious Order of Truth) and theThadoe Maha Thray Sithu (the Order of the Union of Myanmar).[149][150]
On 7 October 2019, theYoung Men's Buddhist Association (YMBA) awarded him the title ofMingaladhamma Zawtika Dhaza and the permanent patron of the YMBA.[151][152] On 9 December 2020, YMBA awarded him the title ofThado Thiri Agga Maha Mingalar Zawtika.[153]
Thailand:_ribbon.svg)
The Most NobleOrder of the Crown of Thailand, Knight Grand Cross (1st Class), Thailand[154]
Malaysia:
The MostGallant Order of Military Service, Gallant Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces (Darjah Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera), Honorary Malaysian Armed Forces Order for Valor (1st Degree), Malaysia.[155]Thailand:_ribbon.svg)
The Most ExaltedOrder of the White Elephant, Knight Grand Cross (1st Class), Thailand[156]
Russia:
Medal "For strengthening the military commonwealth" (Ministry of Defense, Russia)[157]Russia:.png)
Badge of Honor of FSMTC "For the Merits in the Field of Military-Technical Cooperation"[158]Russia:
TheOrder of Alexander Nevsky for "his valuable endeavours to develop multi-sectoral cooperation with theRussian Federation"[159]Min Aung Hlaing has returned Myanmar to a pariah state and made it the world's second most authoritarian regime, per the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2022 Democracy Index. Only Taliban-ruled Afghanistan ranked worse.
မလုပ်ကောင်းတာတွေ မလုပ်နဲ့ကွာ၊ ယောက်ျားထွက်ပြေးလို့ မိန်းမကို ဖမ်းတယ်ဆိုတာ အဓိပ္ပာယ်မရှိဘူး၊ အခုလွှတ်ပေးလိုက်[Hey, don't do such disgraceful action. It doesn't make any sense to arrest a wife for her husband's action]
မင်းအောင်လှိုင် ကျောင်းအုပ်ကြီး ဖြစ်ချိန်တွင် ဦးသန်းရွှေ၏ မြေးဖြစ်သူ နေရွှေသွေးအောင် (ခ) ဖိုးလပြည့် ငယ်ငယ် ၈ တန်း ကျောင်းသားအရွယ်က DSA ကို လာလည်သည်။ ဖိုးလပြည့် အနီးကပ် ကိုယ်ရံတော် ဗိုလ်မှူးကြီးတဦးလည်း ပါသေး၏။ ဗိုလ်လောင်းများနှင့် ဘောလုံးကစားချင်ကြောင်း ပြောသောအခါ ချက်ချင်း ဗိုလ်လောင်းများ၏ ကိုယ်ကာယ လေ့ကျင့်ချိန် PT Time ကို ဖျက်ပြီး မင်းအောင်လှိုင်က ဘောလုံးပွဲ စီစဉ်ပေးသည်။ ဖိုးလပြည့်ကို ဖိနပ်စီးမပေးရုံတမယ်နှင့် 'သား၊ အဆင်ပြေရဲ့လား' ချည်း ပြောနေသည့် DSA ကျောင်းအုပ်ကြီး မင်းအောင်လှိုင်သည် ဘောလုံးပွဲ စီစဉ်ပေးရသည့် နည်းပြအရာရှိများဘက် မျက်နှာလှည့်သည့်အခါ အခါတရာမက ငေါက်ငန်းနေခဲ့ပေသည်။ တပ်မတော်ကြီးဆိုတာ သည်လိုပါလားဟု ကျောင်းအုပ်ကြီး မင်းအောင်လှိုင်ကို ကြည့်ကာ အတော်တရားရခဲ့မိပါသည်။ စစ်တက္ကသိုလ်၏ ၁၉ ယောက်မြောက် ကျောင်းအုပ်ကြီးဖြစ်လာသည့် DSA ဗိုလ်လောင်းသင်တန်း အမှတ်စဉ် ၁၉ ဆင်းဖြစ်သဖြင့် မင်းအောင်လှိုင်သည် ကျောင်းအုပ်ကြီးဘဝကတည်းက မာန်မာနအပြည့်နှင့် ဖြစ်သည်။[Min Aung Hlaing was the 19th rector of DSA as well as a graduate from DSA 19th intake. At the time he was a DSA rector, an 8 years old Phoe La Pyae, grandson of Than Shwe, visited the academy alongside a Colonel as if personal bodyguard. After Phoe La Pyae's request that he wanted to play Football, he dismissed all the Officer Cadets from the PT Time and mad a Football match at which he was constantly asking Phoe La Pyae "Son, are you ok?" despite the fact he was always scolding and yelling at the officers at the match whether they did anything wrong or not.]
Media related toMin Aung Hlaing at Wikimedia Commons| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Joint Chief of Staff of theArmed Forces 2010–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services 2011–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded byasState Counsellor of Myanmar | Chairman of the State Administration Council 2021–2025 | Succeeded by Office abolished |
| Vacant Title last held by Thein Sein(2011) | Prime Minister of Myanmar 2021–2025 | Succeeded by |
| New office | Chairman of theState Security and Peace Commission 2025–present | Incumbent |
| Union of Burma (1948–1962) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (1962–1988) | ||
| Union of Burma / Myanmar (1988–2011) | ||
| Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2011–present) |
| |
| ||
| Union of Burma (1948–1962) | | |
|---|---|---|
| Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (1962–1988) | ||
| Union of Burma / Myanmar (1988–2011) | ||
| Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2011–present) | ||
| ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
