The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on 20 individuals across nine countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, and China, for their involvement in human rights abuses in their countries. This action comes ahead of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10.
Among the individuals targeted by the recent sanctions are two senior Taliban members accused of gender-based repression of women’s and girls’ rights, two Iranian intelligence officers suspected of targeting U.S. officials, and two Chinese officials involved in the torture of Uyghur minorities in Xinjiang.
“Our commitment to upholding and defending human rights is sacrosanct,” the US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen said. “Abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms – wherever they occur in the world – strike at the heart of our shared humanity and our collective conscience.” Furthermore, Secretary Yellen emphasized the agency’s human rights sanctions as a powerful statement: “These sanctions underscore the seriousness of our commitment to holding accountable those who violate human rights and protecting the U.S. financial system from those who engage in such egregious acts.”
The US Treasury Department has accused two senior members of the Taliban of serious human rights abuses related to the repression of women and girls in Afghanistan. Fariduddin Mahmood, head of the Taliban’s Academy of Sciences, is accused of making decisions to close education centers and schools for women and girls beyond the sixth grade. This effectively denies access to secondary education for half of the population in Afghanistan. Khalid Hanafi, the regime’s Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, is accused of being complicit in a range of human rights abuses, including killings, abductions, whippings, and beatings. His ministry is also accused of assaulting people who protested against restrictions on women’s activities, particularly education.
Over the last year, the US Treasury Department has sanctioned more than 150 individuals and entities across a dozen countries, freezing their U.S. assets, for issues relating to human rights abuse. Americans who engage in certain transactions with them also risk being hit with sanctions.
The fall of the Republic government in August 2021 marked a dramatic shift in Afghanistan’s political landscape. This event ushered in the Taliban’s return to power, marking the end of a constitutional system that had previously guaranteed equal rights for all citizens. Since assuming power, the Taliban has implemented extensive and discriminatory policies that have severely restricted the rights and freedom of women and girls. The regime has barred women and girls from attending schools beyond sixth grade and universities and stopped most women from working at government offices and aid agencies, including the UN. They have also closed beauty salons and women are not allowed to visit parks and undertake road trips unless accompanied by a male guardian.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the long-time spokesperson for the Taliban, has condemned the US sanctions on Taliban officials. In a post on social media platforms on Saturday, Mujahid said that “imposing pressure and restriction is not the solution to any problem.” He criticized the US for repeating what he termed “failed measures,” emphasizing that such tactics have not been successful in the past. “While America itself is among the biggest violators of human rights due to its support for Israel, it is unjustified and illogical to accuse other people of violating human rights and then ban them,” Mujahid said.
Earlier this year, the European Union (EU) also imposed restrictive measures against four senior Taliban members, including Khalid Hanafi, Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the Taliban head of the Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Sharei, Minister of Justice, and Mawlawi Habibullah Agha, Minister of Education, for their direct roles in denying women and girls their rights to education, equal treatment, and access to justice.
The international community is grappling with how to approach the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, particularly regarding its problematic human rights policies, especially towards women. In an attempt to navigate this complex situation, the United Nations commissioned an independent assessment, which included a review of existing sanction regimes against the Taliban. The assessment suggested that the international community should quickly identify a solution to unfreeze Afghanistan’s frozen assets, which are worth billions of dollars, and revisit the various sanctions regimes if the Taliban can demonstrate their ability to maintain the country’s commitments and govern inclusively.
