MoVV responds to Australia’s sanctions on 4 senior IEA officials

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Vice and Virtue and Complaints Hearing (MoVV) has condemned Australia’s decision to impose sanctions on four senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), saying such actions show that these countries and organizations “neither understand human rights nor are committed to them.”

Australia recently imposed sanctions and travel bans on four IEA officials, citing the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls, according to Al Jazeera.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated on Saturday that Canberra had established a “world-first” autonomous sanctions framework for Afghanistan, allowing it to directly impose sanctions and travel bans to increase pressure on the IEA.

The department named the sanctioned IEA officials as Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice Muhammad Khalid Hanafi; Minister of Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadeem; Minister of Justice Abdul-Hakim Sharei; and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

In an audio message, MoVV spokesman Saif-ul-Salam Khyber said the sanctions—particularly against Minister Hanafi—were neither new nor surprising, as similar measures had been applied over the past four years.

Khyber added that such decisions show that “these countries and organizations neither recognize human rights nor are committed to them.”

He said that over the past four years, the ministry had protected the rights of hundreds of thousands of women and prevented violations.

He stated: “Today, thanks to Allah (swt), women in Afghan society have gained the courage to demand their rights. Imposing sanctions under these circumstances suggests that these countries themselves violate human rights or women’s rights, or seek to impose their own customs—practiced in their countries—on Afghans. This is disrespectful and mocks the cultural and religious values of our society.”

Khyber concluded by stressing that the IEA has made significant efforts regarding women’s rights and continues to do so.

hz/sa