Australia Establishes ‘World-First Autonomous Sanctions Framework’ for Afghanistan
By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line
Australia has imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on four senior officials of the Taliban government under its newly introduced Afghanistan sanctions framework, announced on December 6, 2025.
Penny Wong, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, posted on her X account that “The Australian Government has established a world-first autonomous sanctions framework for Afghanistan, as part of our ongoing efforts to hold the Taliban to account. In effect from today, we have also announced the first listings under the new framework.”
She further wrote: “We have imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on three so-called Taliban ‘ministers’ and the so-called Taliban ‘Chief Justice’ for their involvement in the oppression of women and girls and in undermining good governance or the rule of law.”
Wong added, “Our thoughts continue to be with those suffering under the Taliban’s oppression, as well as the Afghan community in Australia”.
The listed individuals, identified by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, are Sheikh Muhammad Khalid Hanafi, Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice; Neda Mohammad Nadeem, Minister of Higher Education; Mullah Abdul-Hakim Sharei, Minister of Justice and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Chief Justice of the Taliban Supreme Court.
Australian authorities say these officials have played central roles in enforcing policies that have drastically curtailed the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls.
Under the sanctions, any assets linked to them within Australia are frozen, and Australian citizens or entities are barred from providing financial services. The four are also prohibited from entering Australia.
A humanitarian exemption ensures that aid operations in Afghanistan are not disrupted. Since the fall of Kabul, the Australian government has provided over $260m in humanitarian assistance, with a strong focus on women and girls.
Australia’s involvement with Afghanistan spans nearly two decades as part of NATO-led international forces, during which it trained Afghan security forces and fought the Taliban after they were removed from power by Western-backed forces.
After the Taliban regained control in 2021, it has faced global criticism for severely restricting women’s and girls’ rights, including bans on female education and employment.
The Taliban maintains that it respects women’s rights according to their interpretation of Islamic law and local traditions, but their actions continue to draw international concern.
Following the Taliban’s return to power, Australia also provided refuge to thousands of Afghans, most of them women and children.
By creating its own Afghanistan-specific sanctions framework, Australia signals a shift from relying solely on UN mechanisms.
The new framework allows Canberra to target individuals or entities it deems responsible for rights violations or governance failures, and it also includes an arms embargo and broader financial prohibitions.
While the humanitarian permit allows aid to continue, analysts note that banking restrictions and compliance concerns may still create challenges.
There’s been no response from Kabul regarding Australia’s new strategy.
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