Canberra (TDI): Australia on Saturday announced financial sanctions and travel bans on four senior officials of Afghanistan’s Taliban government, citing a worsening human rights situation in the country, 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 and the rule of law” under Taliban rule.
Australia was among several nations that withdrew troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, after nearly two decades of NATO-led operations aimed at training Afghan security forces and countering the Taliban following their ouster from power.
Since returning to power, the Taliban have faced widespread criticism for imposing severe restrictions on women’s and girls’ rights, including bans on education, employment, and public participation. The group, however, maintains that it respects women’s rights according to its interpretation of religious law and local customs.
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The sanctions announced by Australia specifically target three Taliban ministers and the group’s chief justice, accusing them of limiting women’s access to education, work, freedom of movement, and public life.
Wong said the measures are part of a new Australian government framework allowing Canberra to “directly impose sanctions and travel restrictions to increase pressure on the Taliban, specifically targeting the oppression of the Afghan people.”
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Australia has also provided refuge to thousands of Afghan evacuees, primarily women and children, after the Taliban regained control. The country remains heavily reliant on humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of its population
