Myanmar protesters held candle-lit vigils for the scores killed in demonstrations against military rule, as Western countries imposed more sanctions on individuals and groups linked to last month's coup and an ensuing brutal crackdown on dissent.

Hundreds of people clutching candles held a rally in the Ahlone district of the country's commercial hub of Yangon on Monday night, photographs on social media showed.

At least 261 people have been killed by security forces attempting to quell weeks of pro-democracy protests in towns and cities across the country, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) activist group.