Australia Imposes New Sanctions on Taliban Leaders Over Human Rights Abuses

Australia has responded strongly to the Taliban’s serious human rights abuses in Afghanistan by implementing a new autonomous sanctions framework that will allow direct financial and travel sanctions to be imposed on Taliban leaders.

According to the Australian Foreign Ministry, this framework has been developed to increase international pressure against the increasing oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan, the violation of freedoms, and actions that undermine the rule of law.

The statement said that Australia has imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on three Taliban ministers and the chief justice, while a complete ban has also been imposed on the provision of arms, war materials, or related services to Afghanistan.

Officials say the framework will also increase pressure on UN lists that already include 140 Taliban officials. The Australian government has made it clear that the Taliban’s continued repression, human rights abuses and safe havens for terrorist groups pose a serious threat to the region.

Australia says it has provided more than $260 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of Kabul, while the need for a clear stance from the international community on the poor human rights situation has become more urgent than ever.