Australia is preparing to impose new sanctions on Taliban officials and others responsible for serious human rights abuses in Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday, calling the move a key step toward accountability.
The proposed amendments to Australia’s Autonomous Sanctions Regulations would allow the government to issue targeted sanctions and travel bans against individuals and entities involved in the oppression of women, girls, and minorities, as well as those undermining governance and the rule of law in Afghanistan, the rights group said in a submission to the government.
“It’s crucial for the Australian government to take action against Taliban leaders responsible for the assault on women and girls’ rights and other egregious abuses in Afghanistan,” said Daniela Gavshon, Australia director at Human Rights Watch. “The amended sanctions regulations will allow Australia to join with other countries already taking steps to oppose the Taliban’s widespread and systematic oppression.”
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021 and have since imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, barring them from secondary and higher education, most jobs, and public spaces. UN experts and Afghan women’s rights activists have described the repression as a form of “gender apartheid.”
According to the statement, the Taliban have also cracked down on free expression, detained journalists and activists, and persecuted members of the LGBTQ+ community. Meanwhile, ISIS affiliates in Afghanistan have continued attacks targeting ethnic and religious minorities, including the Hazara Shia, killing and injuring hundreds, the statement says.
Human Rights Watch said the Australian government should use sanctions as a tool to pressure Taliban authorities to halt rights violations and ensure accountability.
“Imposing sanctions on abusive leaders is one of several measures that can raise the cost of committing human rights violations in Afghanistan and elsewhere,” Gavshon said.
The Australian government has not yet announced when the amended regulations would take effect.
