Australia has announced financial sanctions and travel bans on four senior officials in Afghanistan’s Taliban government, citing a worsening human rights situation, particularly for women and girls.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the targeted officials were directly involved in “the oppression of women and girls and in undermining good governance or the rule of law.”
Background
Australia withdrew its troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, after two decades of involvement in the NATO-led mission that trained Afghan forces and fought the Taliban. Since regaining power, the Taliban has faced global criticism for imposing sweeping restrictions on women, including bans on education and employment.
The Taliban insists it respects women’s rights according to its interpretation of Islamic law and local customs, but international observers say freedoms have been severely curtailed.
Details of the Sanctions
The measures apply to three Taliban ministers and the group’s chief justice, who are accused of blocking women’s access to education, jobs, freedom of movement and participation in public life.
Wong said the sanctions were enacted under a new Australian framework that allows the government to directly impose penalties and travel bans to increase pressure on the Taliban and “target the oppression of the Afghan people.”
Humanitarian Context
Australia has already taken in thousands of Afghan evacuees, mostly women and children, since the Taliban’s return to power. Meanwhile, much of Afghanistan’s population remains dependent on humanitarian aid for survival.
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