Signal EU sanctions seven persons, three entities over Southeast Asia scam centre human rights abuses

Summary

The Council of the European Union imposed sanctions on seven individuals and three entities on July 30, 2026, under Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/1896. The sanctions were imposed over serious human rights violations linked to the operation of scam centres in Southeast Asia. Those newly listed include Prince Holding Group and Jin Bei Group, which run scam centres in Cambodia and Myanmar, along with the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, an armed group in Myanmar's Karen state. They are implicated in human trafficking, torture, unlawful detention and cryptocurrency investment fraud, and now face asset freezes and EU entry bans. The action follows an earlier round of EU sanctions on Myanmar-linked scam operations in October 2024 and comes after the United States and United Kingdom separately sanctioned the Prince Group network in October 2025. It reflects a widening multilateral crackdown on operators of scam centres across Southeast Asia.