Top Taliban officials have been sanctioned and banned from travelling to Australia as the federal government increases pressure on the militant group.
Australia has placed the measures on three Taliban ministers and Afghanistan's chief justice, which means Australians from Saturday will be prohibited from supplying them with arms or similar services, and using or dealing with their assets and funds.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong targeted the Taliban's oppression of the Afghan people and actions that undermine the rule of law and good governance in Afghanistan.
"The Taliban continues to demonstrate contempt for the rights, freedoms and welfare of the Afghan people, particularly women and girls," she said in a statement.
"The Australian government remains deeply concerned at the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
"Our thoughts are with those suffering under the Taliban's oppression, as well as the Afghan community in Australia."
Australia has already sanctioned 140 individuals and entities under the United Nations Security Council's Taliban framework.
The International Criminal Court has also put out an arrest warrant for the Taliban's chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani over alleged crimes against humanity for his persecution of girls, women and other people who do not confirm with the group's gender policies.
Since the fall of Kabul in 2021, the Taliban have deepened their attack on the rights of women and girls since taking over Afghanistan, according to Human Rights Watch.
They have also increasingly restricted civic space, carried out censorship, detained activists, and put LGBTQI Afghans in increasingly desperate situations, the non-profit reported.
Australia has provided more than $260 million for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan since 2021 and another $50 million has been allocated.
It established a new framework in order to sanction the three Taliban officials, who were the first to be listed under this measure.
The federal government has similar sanctions in place for other countries including Iran, Russia and North Korea.
